


Maybe the Internet Raised Us

by MercurialTenacity



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adult Percival Graves, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Internet, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Animals, Bad Decisions, Blogging, Blow Jobs, Breathplay, Brothers, Bullying, Choking, Coffee Shops, Come Swallowing, Crushes, Deepthroating, Dinner, Face Slapping, Flirting, Graves is a horrible horrible person, Grooming, Homework, Humiliation, Injury, Innocent Newt, Internalized Homophobia, Internalized Victim Blaming, Internet Friends, M/M, Minor Violence, Online Predators, Pedophilia, Predator Graves, Prostate Massage, Protective Theseus Scamander, Rape, Rape Aftermath, Self-Sacrifice, Sexual Coercion, Single Parents, Some comfort, Squirrels, Strangulation, Threatening Situations, Threats, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Trauma, Underage Character(s), Unsafe Sex, Verbal Humiliation, Victim Blaming, Zoo, aaaaallll the warning signs that Newt is missing, predatory behavior, tags to be updated with each chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-09 22:46:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11114469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercurialTenacity/pseuds/MercurialTenacity
Summary: Theseus knows how much Newt struggles to connect with other kids, and he’s glad that his brother has the internet as a refuge.  When Newt meets Percy online and finds a new friend Theseus can see how much it means to Newt, and he couldn’t be happier.But when Percy isn’t who he seems to be and Newt ends up in danger, Theseus is determined to protect his little brother - whatever it takes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kallistob](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kallistob/gifts).



> Please be aware that this is a very dark story, and be sure to check the tags for each chapter. That said, I hope you enjoy it as well!
> 
> The fic is fully written, and will update weekly on Tuesdays.
> 
> See the cover for it [here](http://mercurial-tenacity.tumblr.com/post/161522498207/)

When Theseus gets home he finds Newt curled in front of his computer, a half eaten peanut butter sandwich and a full glass of milk on the desk in front of him.  He stands in his brother’s open doorway and knocks.  Newt doesn’t turn around, but Theseus didn’t expect him to.

“Hey Newt.  You eaten?”

“Uh huh,” Newt nods, without looking up.

Theseus steps over to stand beside Newt, raising his eyebrows at the neglected sandwich.

“You sure?”

“Uh…” Newt does look away from the screen then, glancing at the sandwich and seeming vaguely surprised by its presence on his desk, and then looking up to Theseus.  “No?”

Theseus shakes his head, smiling just a little and picking up the glass of now-warm milk.

“I'll get you some water, okay?  Mom’ll be home in an hour, make sure you eat before then.”

“Okay.”  Newt has already turned back to the computer and Theseus looks over his shoulder to see a brightly colored bird, along with Newt’s copious details about the creature, prepped in the format of a blog post.

It must have been another hard day.

Newt has a lot of hard days.  He gets some protection at school just by being Theseus’ little brother, but Theseus knows that can’t be easy either.  Newt’s not Newt to other people, he’s  _ Theseus’ little brother. _  Sometimes, Theseus’  _ weird  _ or  _ spazzy _ or  _ strange _ little brother, depending on who’s talking.  And whether they’re talking in front of Theseus, or behind his back.  It’s not Newt’s fault, none of it is.  He’s a good kid, and yeah maybe he’s a little different, but Theseus doesn’t see why that should matter.  The least his brother deserves is to be himself without getting shunned and called names, and the least Theseus can do is back him up.

But even Theseus’ protection only goes so far.  It turns out most other kids don’t really care about long-nosed armadillos or the social structures of lemurs, and they’re not shy about telling that to Newt.  If he’s completely honest, Theseus isn’t all that interested in long-nosed armadillos either, but he’s damned if he’s going to say that to a kid whose whole face lights up like the sun when he talks about them.  

Talking to Newt isn’t all that difficult, really.  Find a subject he’s interested in, and he’s the most energetic person you’ll meet.  He’s more than happy to share, and Theseus has never seen him more animated than when he’s talking to someone who is genuinely interested in what he’s saying.

The problem is that trying to talk to him about something he finds boring making it feel as though he isn’t even in the room.  Theseus knows he’s not trying to be rude, as much as it might seem that way, but not everyone gets that.

Theseus sighs, preparing his own lunch.  It’s been a long day of school, and a long couple hours of work afterward.  Their mom will be back from her shift soon, and she’ll want to know how Newt is doing on his homework.  Theseus knows he hasn’t done it yet, and it wouldn’t do any good to try to make him.  Not after a bad day.  Maybe after dinner Theseus will sit down with Newt and make sure he gets it done, once Newt has had a chance to recover from the day, but anything sooner will just be a disaster for everyone involved.  There are ways things work and there are ways things don’t, and that’s how it goes with Newt.

Not that it doesn’t cause stress sometimes - Theseus has had to talk his mother down a couple times from banning Newt from the computer.  He’s on it a lot, yeah, but where their mother sees that as part of the problem, Theseus is pretty sure it’s the only thing keeping his brother sane.  Online there are people who do care about the same things Newt does, who want to know what he has to say and who listen, and Theseus wouldn’t take that away from Newt for the world.  God knows he deserves to have friends.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Newt hits publish and refreshes the page, waiting to see the bright splash of color the lorikeets bring to his blog.   _ Newt’s Fantastic Creatures _ talks about all kinds of animals, but he’s been meaning to do a post about tropical birds for a while.  He might turn it into a series - people get birds mixed up a lot, and they really are startlingly intelligent, not to mention eye catching.  Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to talk about exactly what people are getting into if they decide to keep one as a pet.

He’s scrolling through pictures of green honeycreepers - small with a sharp beak, brilliant teal, and native to South America - when a message notification pops up.  It’s Leta, and Newt grins.  He knows a lot of people online, but it’s Leta he’s really close with.  He’s known her a long time, and 

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Those birds are awesome! :D _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Your posts are always so detailed too, what’s next?  Are you gonna do parrots? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_** _Maybe, but you know I have Strong Feelings :P_

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Yeah, I think you could write a book about animals that don’t make the best pets _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Also I don’t know how much time I have to post tonight, my mom’s gonna be home soon and she’s gonna ask about homework _

The thought reminds Newt to take a bite of his as yet untouched sandwich - Theseus is right, if she comes home and finds he hasn’t eaten, she won’t be happy.  He made himself the food at least, and that’s a start.  It’s just that sometimes there’s a disconnect between making the food and, well, actually eating it.  Newt  _ can _ take care of himself, he just… forgets to sometimes.

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Homework not good? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Homework not good. _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I finished all the bio so now it’s just like, boring things left _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Gosh I know!  Idk why we have to take half these classes _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ My dad just asked if I was working and I was like suuuuuure XD _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ It’s already getting pretty late for you, isn’t it? _

Newt checks the clock, doing the mental calculations.  Leta is three hours ahead, which means it’s almost ten o’clock where she is.  It doesn’t seem like it should make a big difference, but when it leaves him without his best friend to talk to for a substantial part of the evening it sure feels like one.  Timezones are the worst.

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Yeah I guess _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Don’t wanna go to bed though XD _

Newt hears the telltale sound of the front door, and he knows that his time is limited.  

Sure enough, it’s quickly followed by his mother’s voice calling him downstairs.  He considers pretending he didn’t hear - it wouldn’t exactly be unusual, he’s not the most aware when he gets engrossed in something - but in the end he decides against it.  As much as he wants to stay immersed in his life online, he knows he has to face the rest of the world eventually.  And if he’s honest, now that he’s thinking about it, he is hungry.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ My mom just got back, I have to go make dinner :/ _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Aah but then how will I stay up?? _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Sigh.  Fine go make dinner :P _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Message me if you write the thing about parrots _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah I will :) _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ See you _

Reluctantly, Newt stands up from the computer.  When he gets down to the kitchen Theseus is already there washing vegetables and their mother is still in her work uniform, looking tired but glad to be home.

“Have a good day sweetie?” she asks, and Newt musters up a shrug.  She’s busy, setting water to boil on the stove, and is probably too tired herself to counter his lack of enthusiasm.  “Will you keep an eye on this, Theseus?  I need to go change.”

“Sure thing.  Newt and I got this, right?” Theseus smiles, handing Newt a damp carrot.  Newt accepts it, smiling a little despite himself, and he pulls out the cutting board to chop the vegetables as Theseus hands them to him.  

It’s calming in a way and Newt settles into a rhythm as he works, paying attention to the rock of the knife and forming the diced carrots into little piles.

“Homework after dinner tonight, okay?”

Newt makes a face at the carrots.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.  Look, after you finish French you can help me on my biology essay, okay?”

Newt takes a moment, considering.  He’s knows that Theseus is bribing him, but as much as he dislikes French he’s also not going to turn down the chance to look at the material for Theseus’ senior bio class.  It’s the one subject he’s actually interested in, and it’s too easy at his own grade level.  Besides, he’ll end up having to do it at some point anyway.  He nods, already wondering what unit Theseus is covering.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

French ends up taking longer than either of them would like.  Newt lays his papers out after dinner and opens up the workbook, gazing down at the words he doesn’t understand, and thinks about parrots.  He seems to be able to focus absolutely anywhere but on the papers in front of him, not quite managing to sit still, and by the time Theseus has gotten him to finish the exercises it’s late.

Theseus still pulls out the biology homework, and he listens as Newt lists off ways to respond to the prompt, related concepts he should include, and how it all relates to actual living creatures.  He even takes notes.  By the end of the night Newt is beaming, frustration with his own homework forgotten in the face of the more interesting subject and the chance to talk about it.  Theseus is always a good listener, and tonight is no different.

Newt stumbles up to bed tired but happy, and for once not thinking too hard about having to get through school tomorrow.  He checks messages on his blog out of habit, too tired to respond but still wanting to see what people have to say.  There are a few responses to his lorikeet post, mostly saying how pretty the birds are.  There’s also one request for a post about warthogs, and one message from a username Newt doesn’t recognize.

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey your blog is super cool!  How do you get the ideas for your posts?  You have some great stuff, I’d love to hear more about it :) _

Huh.  Well, Newt will respond to all of it tomorrow.  He falls into bed nearly content after what had started out as a terrible day, hoping that maybe tomorrow won’t be quite so bad.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

When Newt gets home from school he immediately runs upstairs, tosses his backpack in the corner, and turns on his computer.  He doesn’t even bother to make himself lunch today - he doesn’t notice whether he’s hungry, and he doesn’t want to spend a moment longer than he has to in the real world.

Today was not a good day.

He just wants to think about creatures, something that actually makes  _ sense _ , instead of  _ people. _  People don’t make any sense.  They probably should, people are creatures too, but they’re different and hard to understand and don’t seem very pack oriented at  _ all. _  Or they do, but their pack doesn’t include Newt.  They stick to their own kind, Newt supposes, just like most animals do.  They don’t bond well with other species, and they definitely don’t consider Newt to be one of them.  He doesn’t want to think about it.

Newt waits impatiently for the browser to load, and then instantly pulls up a window to message Leta.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Hey you there? _

He waits, minutes stretching on, but doesn’t get a reply.  Maybe she’s at dinner.  Or actually doing homework for once.

Newt grimaces at his screen, frustration and undirected energy curling in his chest.  He just wants something to do, someone to talk to, something to take his mind off of everything else.  Theseus won’t be home for hours, and if Leta’s not around he doesn’t really know who else is left.  There are other people he knows online, he even considers himself friends with some of them, but they’re not the people he wants to talk to.  Not after a day like today.

He can respond to messages at least, write another post, and by then maybe Leta will be back.  He pulls up his inbox, scanning back through what people have sent.  He sends off a few quick replies;  _ Thanks, happy you like it - Glad to hear that! - Yeah, I was really happy with the pictures for this one -  _ but his heart isn’t in it.

He gets down to the last message he’d seen last night, asking about how he gets ideas for posts.  He frowns a little, trying to think of how to explain it, restless and antsy in his chair.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I just really like animals I guess, and it’s cool to share.  Usually I just pick an animal I haven’t done before, but I do requests sometimes too _

Newt clicks over to the next window, but to his surprise the alert pops up that he already has a response.

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ That’s neat!  Do you ever do the same animal twice, or no? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I guess, I dunno _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Sometimes people ask for a follow up about something specific, like their diet or whatever, and I’ll do that _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I try to make the original post pretty detailed tho _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Yeah I can tell!  You’re really good at it, I’m impressed lol _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Oh _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Thanks _

Newt frowns, glad for the praise but not quite sure how to respond.  He doesn’t have the energy to carry on a conversation about whatever this person wants to talk about, even if they are pretty nice.  He flips back over to his blog, but before he can get started on a post he gets yet another message alert.

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey so _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I don’t wanna be weird, but is everything okay? _

Newt blinks, off guard.  He glances back through his messages, and yeah, he has been a little short.  This person is trying to be nice, and Newt hasn’t been saying much in return.  They probably think he’s rude, just like everyone else does.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Sorry _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Just _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Long day I guess _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Yeah I know what you mean.  I just got back from school and I’m totally drained _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah school is just… _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I dunno.  It’s a lot _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ But you must be like, super popular right? _

Newt has to stare at the screen for a moment before he can process that.  Him?   _ Super popular? _  Yeah, right.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ No not really _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Kinda the opposite actually _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Like the exact opposite _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Aw man that sucks _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ You seem so cool online, I thought for sure you’d be like, everyone’s best friend _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Not unless it’s biology class and they want to copy my homework _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Oh boy I’m not surprised you’re good at bio.  I struggle with it sometimes but it’s cool lol _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I’m Percy btw _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I’m Newt _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Nice to meet you! :D _

Percy is surprisingly easy to talk to.  Somehow he always manages to think the best of Newt and isn’t put off by actually getting to know him.  He’s sympathetic, encouraging, and all around just a nice guy.  He’s seventeen, a senior like Theseus, but he’s not pretentious about it like most of the seniors at Newt’s school.  He even asks Newt for help with biology, which Newt is more than happy to provide.  Percy really isn’t great at it, but that’s okay.  He’s enthusiastic and appreciative, and when Newt goes on long tangents about the reproductive patterns of whales he doesn’t role his eyes, not even virtually.  In fact, he seems genuinely interested.

The more they talk the more Newt manages to leave behind the stress built up from an awful day at school.  He actually starts to relax, enjoying himself despite it.

It turns out that they’re even in the same timezone.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

When Theseus comes home he finds Newt in a significantly better mood than he expected.  He’s grinning at his computer, typing quickly, and he even looks up in acknowledgment when Theseus knocks from the doorway.

There is, however, a complete lack of any evidence of food.  And unless Newt actually made himself lunch, ate it, and did his dishes already - unlikely - that means he hasn’t eaten at all.

“Hey Newt.  How’s it going?”

“Pretty good.  Busy though.”  Newt’s computer pings with an incoming message, and Newt turns to glance back at the screen.

“Talking to Leta?”  Leta is one of the only people Theseus has seen able to make Newt smile like this.  Whoever that girl is, wherever she is, Theseus would like to thank her some days.

Newt shakes his head.  “No, she’s busy I guess.  I met someone else though, he’s pretty cool.”

He must be more than just “pretty cool” if Newt’s behavior is anything to go by.  He’s smiling, vibrating with what seems to be a happy energy for once, and as excited as he is about talking online he’s actually responsive to Theseus as well.  He must be in a really good mood.  

If only he would eat actual food.

“That’s awesome.  You want me to bring you a snack or something?”

“Oh, uh…”  Newt shrugs, and Theseus can see that eating hasn’t crossed his mind once since he got home.  “Yeah, okay.  Thanks Theseus.”

Theseus leaves Newt to it, smiling as he walks back down to the kitchen.  If he’s not mistaken Newt’s friend count has just doubled, and Theseus couldn’t be happier for him.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Newt stays glued to the computer all weekend, perhaps even more so than he normally does.  He’s energetic and happy enough, but he clearly doesn’t have much interest in talking to either Theseus or his mother, and Theseus can see it start to frustrate her.  Newt comes down to do the minimum required of him before vanish back up the stairs, and while he doesn’t complain, it’s abundantly clear that he would rather be online.  To Theseus’ relief she refrains from saying too much about it to Newt; in his opinion, the last thing Newt needs is to be told that having friends isn’t a good use of his time.

When she gets home after a long shift on Sunday afternoon she can’t seem to hold it back much longer.  She stands at the kitchen sink with her sleeves rolled up while she washes dishes, and as she hands a plate off to Theseus to dry she pauses, sighing.

“I just don’t see what he’s doing up there.  He’s got homework, and chores, and shouldn’t he be talking to some real people once in awhile?”

“Mom,” Theseus says, a little cautiously.  “You know what happens when Newt tries to talk to real people.  And anyway, these people  _ are _ real _ ,  _ they’re just not, well, here.”  They’ve had this conversation before, discussed it to all hours of the evening.  None of this is new, and Theseus is still searching for a way to explain the freedom it gives Newt to connect with people online.  “They support him though, way more than anybody he knows at school.”

“Sometimes I just think if he tried a little harder…” Theseus doesn’t say anything and she stops, shaking her head.  “I know.  I know, I just… I don’t know what to do with him sometimes.”  She rests her hands against the edge of the sink, leaning her weight on the counter.  “Sometimes I think you know him better than I do, Theseus.”

Theseus glances down, not sure how to respond.  He can see the tiredness showing through, the exhaustion born of long hours and long days on her feet, and the regret in her eyes at what it means when she comes home.  He knows she tries.  She’s probably right.

“Hey, well.  Of all the things he could be doing to cope at his age, at least he mostly stays put in his room.”  Theseus presses his lips together in a thin smile, which his mother returns.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Hey what’s up! _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ You haven’t been around, everything good?  You go get kidnapped or something? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ No lol, I’m safe and sound _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Sorry I’ve just been really busy _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Okay but with whaaaaat _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ I need your help studying for this bio quiz or like _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ I’m gonna fail XD _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah for sure!  No worries :D _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I’ve just been messaging with this guy and he’s really cool, I guess it’s taken up a lot of time _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ OMG do I sense a replacement?? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ No lol _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ What’s his name?  Don’t tell me you’ve been helping him with *his* bio instead XD _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Percy, and like _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Maybe just a little XD _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ He’s using you Newt, I’m warning you now _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ All he wants is top grades in biology, and then he’ll ride off into the sunset with his perfect transcripts and all your hard work _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ Unlike me _

**_strangeMagic:_ ** _ I’m perfectly happy with a C XD _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Lol OKAY okay, I’m all yours until you pass this quiz XD _

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I gotta go, Leta needs my help studying _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Oh, okay _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ No problem, just don’t let her monopolize all your time lol _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah no, she just has this quiz she’s really gotta pass _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ It’s not all that big though, it won’t take forever _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Okay well, catch up with you later though? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Of course! :D _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ She goes to bed before we do anyway, so I’ll probably be back later tonight _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Okay cool then _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Can’t wait, see you in a bit :D _


	2. Chapter 2

Newt feels a little guilty for neglecting Leta so much.  They usually talk every day, and he knows he hasn’t really given her an explanation.  It’s just that talking to Percy is exciting.  It’s been a long time since he’s made a new friend, a good friend, and getting to know each other is invigorating in a way.  He’s not replacing Leta - He’s not.  He’s just… taking some time to get to know someone new.  Even if Leta misses him surely she wants him to have friends, and it’s not like they don’t talk at all.

Newt checks his messages before school in the mornings, usually to find some joke from Percy, and spends the rest of the day imagining what they’re going to talk about later.  It’s a lot more bearable than thinking about what’s going on around him, and if it makes people snicker behind his back that he’s even more spacey than usual, well.  Whatever.  It’s easier to brush off when he knows he can go home at the end of the day and rant about it to someone who understands.

Newt isn’t really sure how Percy has quite so much free time, actually.  Sometimes they end up talking all evening, and while Theseus lets Newt get away with that he doesn’t know how Percy is managing it.  He doesn’t want to question it too much though, and anyway, he doesn’t know how he’d ask about it without making it sound like he didn’t want to talk so much.  That’s the exact opposite of what he wants, so he’s just glad their schedules match up so well.

He really doesn’t know what he’d do without the internet.  He can’t imagine trying to get through school without it, being stuck with only the same people who hate him for company every day.  Being online at least gives him some hope that not everybody is terrible.  There are good people out there too, somewhere.  Just not usually in his timezone, for whatever reason.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ The internet’s pretty cool, you know? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Like I never would have met you or Leta otherwise, I wouldn’t even have known you existed _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Yeah totally _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ It gets kinda frustrating though too sometimes, you know? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Not really? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Like, sometimes it just feels like text on a screen _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I mean, you’re this really great guy and we talk all the time, but there’s a ton of stuff I don’t know about you just cause it’s all digital _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I mean I guess? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I’d take it over not talking tho _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ No yeah, for sure _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ It’s just like _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Your pic is a tamarin lol, and I’m pretty sure you don’t actually look like a tiny monkey _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Lol, no not really _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Kinda like an orangutan though _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Huh? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ My hair is red :P _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ LOL omg _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ But seriously like, don’t you ever wonder if I actually look like some great big wolf? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I kinda figured you don’t, but sure I guess _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I hadn’t really thought about it _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ What DO you look like then? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Wanna see a pic? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Oh, uh _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Sure, lol _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hang on, I’ll find one.. _

**_SilverWolf sent a file_ **

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Newt?  You there? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah!  Just _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Wow that’s a good picture :P _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Haha thanks _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ It’s just a snapshot lol _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Are you telling me you don’t have any good pictures? XD _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Lol not like that! _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Idk I can try to find something tho _

**_fantastic-beasts sent a file_ **

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey, you look great! _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Now it’s like I’m actually talking to a real person and not a monkey lol _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Way better :D _

Newt blushes as he leans back from the computer, not entirely sure why.  It’s not a big deal, right?  So Percy liked the picture.  He’s just glad to be talking to a real person now, that’s all.

But, well.  Percy’s picture looked pretty good too.  Really good.  Percy looks really good.

Newt blushes harder at the thought, feeling his face heat up.  He doesn’t quite know what to do with the flutter it puts in his chest, but he resolves to take some better selfies the first chance he gets.  And maybe… maybe Percy will like those too.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Newt’s never paid that much attention to other boys, or to girls either.  Or to people at all, really.  But there’s something about talking to Percy that’s exciting in a way that talking to other people isn’t.  He grins each time he gets a message, and he gets a warmth in his chest thinking about it.  It’s not nervousness exactly - something nicer.  He finds himself looking at Percy’s picture again and again, and it’s nice.

He doesn’t really know what it is, and he’s not sure how to find out.  It feels good but it also feels personal, like it might not be something he wants to share.  He doesn’t quite know what to make of it.

He’s helping Theseus clean up after dinner one evening when he thinks of a way to ask about it without, well, asking.

“Hey, so.  You and Sera have dated for a while, right?”

Theseus looks up in surprise from where he’s wiping down the table.  “Yeah we have, it’s been a couple years now.”  He frowns when Newt doesn’t continue.  “Why do you ask?”

“I just.  Um.”  Newt shifts uncomfortably and Theseus begins to suspect, but he waits for Newt to talk.  “What did it - I mean how did you know, that you wanted to date her?”

“I just - really liked her, I guess,” Theseus says, looking thoughtful and smiling at the memory. “We got along really well - we always had something to talk about, no matter what the subject was, it was never boring. And she was very beautiful, I’d have to be blind not to see that, but in the end I think we decided to try it because we just - had  _ something _ . Something worth trying. I wouldn’t really know how to explain it.  It just felt right, in a way that not many things do. Are you asking because of Leta?”

“Um…” Newt hesitates, because on the one hand it might be easier to say yes, but on the other… no.  He’s definitely not.  He can’t imagine feeling that way with Leta, either how Theseus describes or how he feels about Percy.  Eventually Newt realizes he’s let the silence stretch on too long, and Theseus is raising an eyebrow at him.  “No, just - just wondering.  Leta said something and, uh, it made me wonder.”

Theseus nods, and Newt is certain he doesn’t believe him but he also doesn’t press, to Newt’s relief.  “Well, feel free to ask if she makes you wonder about anything else, okay?”

“Yeah - okay, thanks.”  Newt gives a smile which Theseus returns.  He glances around at the mostly clean kitchen in what he hopes is a subtle way, trying to figure out how much there is left to do before he can go back up to his room.

Theseus, of course, catches it.  He gives a slight chuckle as he dries his hands, shaking his head.  “There’s not that much left, you go on.  I’ll finish up.”

“Thanks Theseus.” Newt grins before turning and hurrying up the stairs, back to his computer.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Newt opens his blog, but he doesn’t check his messages.  Not yet.  What Theseus said is still cycling through his head, and he needs to think about it if he’s going to figure any of this out.

It made sense, what Theseus said - or, it didn’t really make sense, but it described something familiar.  Newt does feel  _ something _ with Percy, he’s pretty sure, at least when he thinks of it the way Theseus had said it - like it was deep and big and good.  They go so well together, they connect in a way Newt hasn’t with anybody else, and it feels like it just works.  Newt hasn’t had all that many friends to compare to, but this feels different than that.

But Theseus thought he was talking about Leta.  Newt’s closer with Leta than anyone else, they practically grew up together once they found each other online, and he wouldn’t trade her for anybody, but - they don’t have  _ something. _  At least, Newt doesn’t think.  They tease and joke and talk for hours, but Newt doesn’t blush when he gets a message from her.  He’s happy when he talks to her, but it doesn’t make the same warmth swell up in his chest.

The only person who makes that happen is Percy.  

Theseus said Sera was pretty, and Newt supposes she is, but… Percy is definitely pretty.  His dark eyes, the way his hair is just a little too messy in every picture he sends, how he’s so sure and confident when he looks into the camera… It makes Newt feel like he’s the only person in the world when he’s on the other end of that gaze and he sometimes finds himself wondering, idly, what it would feel like to run his fingers through that hair.

But there’s something in the back of his head, something that creeps up on him slowly, that makes him think maybe he shouldn’t like Percy.  Percy is, well -

He’s a boy.  Newt can’t remember anyone ever telling him he wasn’t supposed to like boys, or at least not his mom or Theseus.  But it never really felt like an option either, and it still feels wrong somehow.  Off limits.  He doesn’t think Theseus would be mad, but he doesn’t know if he’d be happy either.  Maybe Theseus would rather he like Leta.

But he doesn’t.

If he can’t ask Theseus, who does that leave?  Percy maybe, but Percy is the whole problem.  Unless… he didn’t tell Theseus who he was asking about, and maybe he doesn’t have to tell Percy either.  It’s ridiculous, it really is, but he doesn’t know what else to do.  He doesn’t even know if Percy feels the same way, and if not, if he thought it was weird, maybe he wouldn’t want to be friends.  Newt’s heart nearly beats out of his chest as he considers it, he couldn’t stand to lose Percy.  But then again, the whole reason he likes Percy is because he can trust him, and he hasn’t been put off by anything Newt has thrown at him so far.  So maybe it would be okay after all.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Hey _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey what’s up? :) _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Not much I guess _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Bored? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Not really _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I mean _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Sorry _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ You’re fine lol _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ What’s on your mind? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Cmon, you can tell me :) _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I guess just _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Have you ever like _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Liked someone you thought maybe you weren’t supposed to? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I mean like _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ In a /something/ way I guess? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hmm well yeah sure _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ How so?  Who’s the lucky girl? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Or… guy? ;) _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Uh _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Guy _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey, that’s cool _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Is that why you feel weird? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah I guess _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ It’s just like, guys at my school get like bullied and stuff for that kind of thing, and they make it seem like something bad? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ But it doesn’t feel bad, I dunno _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Nah it’s not bad _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ People make up all kinds of rules about who you’re supposed to like, about like gender or age or whatever _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ But you just like who you like, you know? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ And that’s not gonna stop just because someone’s older than you or also a guy or whatever _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah, I guess so :) _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Besides, whoever he is really is pretty lucky ;) _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Wait really?? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Well yeah Newt _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ You’re amazing :D _

Newt blushes furiously, and feels lighter than he has in a while.

 

**\----------------------------------------**

 

It’s easy to see the change in Newt.  He smiles, he talks, he’s practically glowing.  Theseus smiles, knowing, when he tells jokes over dinner, and their mother looks round at Theseus in surprised wonder.  It’s been a long, long time since New has been so casually, carelessly happy.

She turns to Theseus later that evening, after Newt has vanished back upstairs, and there’s relief in her eyes.  “He’s doing better, isn’t he?” She asks, her tone laced with cautious hope.

Theseus thinks of his brother’s smile, his happy buzz, and his face when he asked about Sera, and he nods.  “Yeah, I think he is.”

She turns away, shaking her head.  “Thank God.”

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I’m really glad I met you _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Me too :D _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Like just _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I always feel better when I talk to you, idk _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Even if everything else has gone wrong, you know? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Yeah :) _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Me too  <3 _

 

_ \---------------------------------------- _

 

Talking to Percy just makes Newt… well.  Happy.  Even if school sucks, even if his day has been awful, Percy always manages to make him smile.  Newt loves it.  It’s not like talking to Leta, even though she can make him smile too.  It’s more of a rush, more exciting somehow.  Newt isn’t familiar with the deep tingle Percy’s words send through him, but he likes it.

And he can’t believe Percy likes him.  He really seems to.  He likes all of Newt’s pictures, says he’s lucky to have met him, and wants to talk for hours.  He sends hearts sometimes, and it makes Newt’s stomach flip with the sudden thrill.

Percy makes Newt believe in himself.  He tells Newt not to listen to anyone who discourages him or holds him back, and he makes Newt feel capable - grown up, in a way.  It’s silly maybe, but it’s nice too.  It’s really nice.  It’s like it’s just him and Percy, the two of them figuring things out, together.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_fantastic-beasts sent a file_ **

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ See, I knew you had good pics :D _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ You look really good Newt _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Haha, you think so? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Yeah, gosh _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Those eyes, that smile ;) _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Those lips are gonna kill me _

 

\----------------------------------------

 

“All this just because of the internet?”

Theseus has his homework laid out on one end of the table, opposite the bills his mother is sorting through, and she looks up from her calculations to watch Newt bounce up the stairs with seemingly boundless energy.  It’s a far cry from the restless, withdrawn boy she’s used to seeing.

“All this because he has friends, I think.  And that’s because of the internet, yeah.”

“I never would have guessed.”  She shakes her head, but she smiles too.  Then she hums.  “Friends, plural?  Or is there… someone in  _ particular? _ ”

Theseus smiles down into his math homework.  “Ah, now, I don’t know if that’s my secret to tell.”

“He never does tell me these things.”  She sighs good naturedly, but Theseus can tell there’s a bit of an edge to it as well.  It’s frustrating for her, not being able to connect with Newt as well as she would like too, he knows that.

“He didn’t exactly tell me either, but… He’s Newt.”

“That he is.”  

She scratches figures down on the back of an envelope, frowning at the result, and shuffles back through the stack of bills and credit card statements.  Theseus has gotten himself absorbed in a math problem before his mother looks back up again.

“Don’t you think he’s a little young?”

Theseus frowns, pausing in his writing.  “I was fifteen when Sera and I started dating.  Newt’s only a year younger, fourteen isn’t that far off.”

“And I thought you were too young then too.  But I suppose I probably always will.”  She falls silent, but her frown remains.  Theseus sets his pencil down, leaning back in his chair to stretch, muscles cramped from bending over the table.

“Look, Mom - most of the people Newt’s talking to probably aren’t even on same side of the country, much less in the same part of the world.  He’s having fun, he’s doing better, and really, there’s only so much that can happen.

“Hmm, well.  I guess the internet’s not so bad after all.”

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I was wondering _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Have you ever kissed anyone? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Oh uh _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ No :P _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ It’s just that _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Looking at your lips made me think you’d probably be really good at it :) _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Omg, I don’t know _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Have you ever? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Yeah, but _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Not with some who had /something/ _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ You know? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I think so _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah :) _

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Newt gets home one from school one Monday to find he already has messages from Percy, and he smiles as he pulls them up.  It’s been a long day, and he’s been looking forward to chatting with Percy for all of it.  He’s glad to think Percy has too.  He shrugs off his jacket, sets down the sandwich he brought up with him, and settles down to chat.  

But when he pulls up the messages he pauses, blinking in surprise and disbelief.

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey so I was thinking _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ We already know we’re in the same timezone _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ But when we were talking the other day and you mentioned being near that mall I wondered if we might be closer than we thought? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ So I looked it up and I think you’re like 40 min from me _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I could drive up and meet you! :DD _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ What do you think?? _

Newt can’t believe it.  He has no idea what the odds are that Percy would live so close - that he would meet someone so incredible and actually be able to  _ visit _ them.  He stares at the screen, rereading Percy’s messages, convinced he must have missed something.  Percy can’t possibly mean that they could see each other in person.

But he does.

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ That’s amazing I can’t believe it!!! :DDD _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I know, right?? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Like this whole time, I had no idea :D _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _  I don’t know what it would be like to actually see you for real _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I’ve never met up with anyone before, would it be weird? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I dunno maybe at first, but also AWESOME _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I can’t wait to see you Newt :D _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Me either I guess, woah :D _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Hey how about next Wednesday?  I have a half day, I could come meet you right after school _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ You don’t have anything else going on, do you? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ No I’m free _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Then let’s do it!! _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Omg _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Okay _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Is there like a park by your house or something?  I think it’s supposed to be a nice day _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Yeah there’s one downtown _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ I’ll just tell Thes :D _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Why? _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Can’t you make your own decisions lol? _

**_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _ Well yeah.. _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ Perfect :D _

**_SilverWolf:_ ** _ I really can’t wait to see you, Newt <3 _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c8/3a/54/c83a541b8e49e6b0958f04fa88e1d36b.jpg) is the picture Percy sends to Newt, for those interested.
> 
> This is also the last chapter before things start to get real, so brace yourselves for next week... XD


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things get a bit intense this chapter - please check the updated tags!

When Wednesday comes Newt takes the bus from school into town, practically vibrating with energy as he does so.  He holds onto the bar, deciding to stand; he doesn’t think he could sit still if he tried.

He’d taken forever to get ready that morning, trying to find the right clothes and to get his hair to lay sort of flat until Theseus had pressed his backpack into his arms and hustled him out the door.  Newt still feels a little weird not telling Theseus or his mother, but Percy is right - he can make his own decisions, and they’ll both be at work anyway, so it’s not like they’ll wonder where he is.

The bus ride feels like it takes forever, and Newt’s energy is trending towards nervousness when he finally arrives at his stop.  He hopes Percy will like him in person as much as he does online.  He’s never met up with anyone from online before, and he doesn’t really know how it goes.  No one else lives close enough to him, so it was never a possibility.  He and Leta have schemed about it of course, but they both knew it wouldn’t actually happen.  He can’t believe Percy is not only near enough to meet up, but is actually willing to come all the way out to his town.

Newt follows the path to the part of the park they’d discussed, a little out of the way but a nice spot.  There are a few other people around but it’s not busy this time of day, still too early for people to come through after work.  It’s a nice day for being outside - the temperature is mild with a slight breeze that makes the trees rustle, and the sky is clear.

Newt is practically buzzing with anticipation and nerves.  People don’t usually like him in person - will Percy?  Or is he really only likeable online?  He wonders if Percy will look as good as he does in his pictures.  A small, unexplored part of him even wonders what it might be like to be able to actually touch Percy - to hug him, maybe.

When Newt arrives at the agreed upon place he finds it deserted.  He glances at the clock on his phone and sees that Percy technically does have three minutes before he’s late, so he finds a bench on which to wait.  His foot jiggles against the ground with nervous energy and he turns his phone over and over in his hands, hoping that everything will go as well as he’s imagined.

“Newt?”

Newt turns in the direction of the voice, seeing a man walking towards him but no sign of Percy.

“Newt,” the man says again, and Newt realizes that it was the man who spoke.  He frowns in confusion, standing up as the man smiles at him warmly.

“Who are you?” he asks uneasily.  He doesn’t understand who this man is, or how he knows his name.

“I’m Percy, of course.  I’m not late, am I?”  The man - Percy? - checks his watch, then smiles again.  “I wasn’t expecting the traffic.  It’s so good to finally see you, Newt.”

“But -” Newt falls back a step, looking up at him.  This isn’t right, this can’t be Percy.  He doesn’t look like Percy at _all_.  Or - he does, but older.  Much older.  He’s tall, broad shouldered, greying around the temples, and Newt’s heart starts to beat quicker.  He doesn’t understand why Percy would send him those pictures, or why he would say he was seventeen. “You can’t be.  That doesn’t make any sense.”

“C’mon, it’s all right.  How’s Leta doing?  Did you get that essay finished last night?”  Newt stares at him in shock.  “It’s still me.  We’re still friends, and I still really like you.  Don’t you want to have a good time?  We were looking forward to this.”

“Yeah - uh -”  Newt’s grip tightens on the phone in his hands, and he turns the screen on.  “I just have to -”

“Let’s not let technology get in the way anymore.”  Percy reaches forward as though to take the phone and Newt balks, taking a quick step away and shoving it in his pocket.

“Okay, w-we won’t.”

Percy’s eyes follow Newt’s cellphone and his hand falls back to his side, empty, but his smile stays in place.  “Great. It really is good to see you, Newt.  You’ve become such a good friend these last couple months.”  Newt nods, reeling, as Percy pulls him into a hug.  Newt doesn’t return it, but Percy doesn’t seem to be bothered.  “Come on.  Let’s go for a walk,” Percy says, draping an arm around his shoulders and leading him down the path.

Newt doesn’t know what to do.  None of this seems right, it doesn’t seem like such a good idea anymore and he wants to go home.  He wants to go back to having Percy as his friend on the internet who he stays up with and talks to all night, not - not this.  Percy seems sort of nice, but he also just seems _wrong._  Newt is suddenly very aware that there aren’t any other people around.

Newt tries to respond to Percy’s small talk but his heart is racing, his mind spinning off in every direction.  Percy isn’t just going to let him leave, he needs help.  He needs to find a way to text Theseus, and hope that he sees it before… well, Newt doesn’t know, but _soon_.  He doesn’t think Percy will let him use his phone, and he doesn’t want to try in case Percy tries to take it again.  But there’s nothing around, nothing Newt can use to distract him.

No, that’s not quite true.  There’s a building coming into view as Percy leads him up the path, and Newt’s heart skips a beat at the thought that it might mean people.  His hopes fall when he realizes it’s just one of the little restrooms maintained by the park, almost certainly also deserted, but… but wait.  Maybe he can use that too.

Percy squeezes his hand on Newt’s shoulder, clearly growing tired of Newt’s lack of response to his conversation.

“What’s wrong, Newt?  Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“Yeah, of course!”  Newt bites his lip.  He has to do this right.  He’s never been good at this sort of thing, he’s never been good at people or at lying, but he _has_ to do this right.  “I just…”  Newt looks up at Percy, eyes wide, and he squirms.  “I have to use the restroom.  You don’t mind, do you?  I’ll be really quick, and then I can show you where all the squirrels live.”  Newt smiles, hoping he looks enthusiastic.

Percy’s eyes narrow, but he takes in Newt’s earnest face, the way he squirms in place, and after a moment he smiles back.  “Of course.  Go ahead.”

Newt hugs him around the middle and runs off the the temporary shelter of the restroom.

The moment the door closes behind him he tugs his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it and pulling up Theseus’ number as he locks himself in one of the stalls.  He types quickly, hoping desperately that Theseus will see it.  He should be at work right now but he has his phone on him sometimes, so there’s a _chance_ and Newt has to take it.  

He doesn’t know how long he has.  How long does it usually take to go to the restroom?  He doesn’t want Percy to get suspicious, Newt needs him to believe everything is fine until Theseus gets here.  He absolutely refuses to think _if_ Theseus gets here.  He sends a few more hurried messages and takes a couple deep breathes before he puts away his phone and unlocks the stall.  It’s going to be fine.  Theseus will come, and it will be fine.  It has to be.

He walks out of the restroom to see Percy waiting for him, and he forces himself to smile and run forward.

“Come on, I’ll take you to meet Marcy.”

Percy pauses.  “Marcy?”

“Yeah, she lives in the oak tree.”

“Ah.”  Percy smiles again.  “Marcy is a squirrel.”

“Yeah!”  After a half moment’s hesitation Newt grabs Percy’s hand, tugging him along the path.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus’ phone buzzes in his pocket.  And then it buzzes again.  And again.  Theseus frowns.  He doesn’t usually check his phone at work, but he keeps it on vibrate just in case.  If someone wants to talk to him that badly… He finishes the latte he’s making and calls out the order before stepping aside.

“Can you cover me for a sec, Sera?”

“Yeah, sure,” Seraphina replies from her place at the register.

Theseus pulls his phone out of his pocket, tapping the screen to show the new texts.

**_Newt S (10 new messages)_ **

_theseus help_

_i met percy today and he’s here but hes not percy_

_he’s old_

_like really old_

_idont know what to do thes_

_we’re at the park_

_the one downtown_

_im taking him to meet marcy kate and sheila_

_you have to come please_

_help me_

Theseus’ heart drops out of his chest.

“Sera - Sera I have to go.”

“What?” She wheels around. “You can’t - I can’t cover for you, it’s rush hour soon!”

“Sorry love - Newt is in trouble. Like, deep trouble with a big T - fuck.  Fuck.  I have to go. I’ll tell you later -” Theseus quickly squeezes her arm and brushes his lips against hers. “See you.”

“Theseus, wait -”

His heart is racing as he runs to the back room, quickly changing before grabbing his bag and phone and texting Newt rapidly.

_I’m coming. Stay in public, don’t go anywhere else with him_

_Keep him busy_

_I’ll be there in fifteen minutes_

Then he runs.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus parks across two spaces, but he doesn’t care.  He slams the car door closed, hoping with everything he has that he remembers which squirrel Marcy is, and glad for once in his life that Newt named every squirrel in the park.  Glad that he listened.  It’s easier than thinking about what else might go wrong.  What else might have happened in fifteen minutes if -

He sprints down the path towards what he’s almost certain is Marcy’s tree.  The park isn’t that big, but it’s as though the distance is stretching out before him, expanding and keeping him from his brother, from the only thing he cares about right now.

Theseus is in good shape but his breathing comes ragged in his chest, lungs burning with exertion and with panic.  It’s unlike anything he’s felt before.  The drive was hell, there’s no other word - waiting in traffic he couldn’t dodge, at the stoplights he couldn’t run, imagining all the while what could be happening at that very moment.

He turns a corner and there - Newt, at the base of a tree pointing up into the leaves.  With a man standing next to him, a hand around his brother’s shoulders.

“Newt!”

Newt turns, sees him, and runs the last few feet until he crashes into Theseus’ arms.  

“You came, you came, you came,” Newt is gasping, clinging to Theseus hard enough to squeeze the breath from him.

“Of course I did, of course - Newt -”  Theseus pulls back just far enough to press the car keys into Newt’s hand.  “Go to the car.  Lock yourself in, okay?  You wait for me there.”

Newt shakes his head, clinging harder, and when Theseus looks up over his shoulder he sees a smile starting to overtake the look of surprise on the man’s face.

“Yes,” Theseus says firmly.  The last thing he wants to do is let Newt out of his sight, but he needs to know that he’s safe.  And whatever happens next, he can’t have Newt here for it.  He wants Newt behind a locked door.  “I will be there.  I need you to go, right now.”

Reluctantly Newt does as he’s told, tearing himself away from Theseus.

Once Newt is out of sight down the path Theseus straightens up, turning to face the man who threatened his brother.

“What a touching display,” he says, a smirk playing around his lips.  He really is older, way too old to be chatting up kids online, and it makes Theseus’ stomach turn.

“Who are you?” Theseus asks, a hard edge to his voice.

“I’m Percy.  Your brother’s friend.  You are the older brother, aren’t you?”

“Who.  The fuck.  Are you.”

“He texted you, didn’t he?”  The man says instead of answering.  “In the restroom.  I knew it.”

“Of course he did.”  Theseus clenches his jaw, hands balling into fists at his sides.  He doesn’t want to think about what kind of kid _wouldn’t_ go for help when confronted with something like this. “Now what the fuck is your name?”

“Percival Graves.  It was so nice meeting your brother.  He’s a delightful child.  I would like to get to know him better, though”

Theseus holds back a snarl.  “Not happening.  Don’t ever contact us again, you are not touching my brother.”

“Uh huh.  Whatever you say.”

“I’ll call the police. We have proof.”

“Do you though?  I wonder.”  Graves shakes his head, looking startling unconcerned, and Theseus would like to punch the superior expression right off of his smug face and make sure he never so much as looks at Newt again.  Graves checks his watch, looking bored.  “I think we’re done here?”

“I mean it.  Don’t come near him.”

“Yeah.  We’re done.”  Graves turns to go and for a moment Theseus thinks of following him, of doing _something_ to keep this man away from his brother, anything to keep him from simply walking away.  But he thinks of Newt sitting alone in the car, scared, waiting for him, and all he wants to do is have Newt safe in his arms.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

When Theseus gets back to the car Newt is sitting in the passenger seat, knees folded up to his chest and arms wrapped around them.  He looks up when Theseus approaches, relied flooding his face, and scrambles to unlock the driver’s side door.

As soon as Theseus slides into the driver’s seat Newt is in his arms, hands balled in the fabric of his shirt and head buried in his shoulder.  Theseus quickly shuts the door and locks it again, holding Newt close.  He’s safe.  Newt is safe, he’s here, Theseus has him, he got here in time.  And he’s going to get the bastard who did this.

They sit like that for long minutes, not talking, just holding onto each other and breathing.

Eventually Newt’s shaking starts to subside somewhat and he adjusts to lean against Theseus’ shoulder, grip loosening but still holding on to Theseus’ right arm.  Theseus doesn’t mind at all.

“Who was that?” Newt asks, voice small.  “Was that Percy?”

Theseus presses his eyes closed for a moment, and takes his brother’s hand.  Right.  Now he has to explain.

“Yeah.  Or at least, he pretended he was.”

“Percy’s not real, is he?”

“No.  That man - Graves, he called himself - he made Percy up so that he could talk to you, and so that you would come here.”  Theseus shifts, the seat suddenly uncomfortable as his chest tightens up again.  He’s going to have to figure out how this whole mess started, how exactly Graves found his brother and what led Newt to go meet him in a park without telling anyone, but that can wait.  Just the essentials right now.

“Newt - I’m gonna ask you some questions, okay?”  He sees worry cross Newt’s face, and he backs up quickly.  “No, buddy, I am not mad.  I am so glad you texted me, okay?  You did the right thing.”  He waits for Newt to nod before he continues.  “But I’m gonna need you to be honest with me.  Can you do that?”  

Again, Newt nods.  

“Did he -” Theseus swallows.  “Newt, did he touch you anywhere?”  The words taste like ash in his mouth.

Newt looks up at him, and he shrugs.  “He hugged me, I guess.  And he put his hand on my shoulder a lot.”

“Is that all?  You can tell me Newt, did he do anything else?”  

Newt shakes his head, and relief blooms through Theseus’ chest.  “No, he just - oh.”  Newt’s eyes get wide.  “Do you mean, he wanted…?”

A strained “I don’t know for sure,” is the best Theseus can manage.  He can’t think about that, he can’t let Newt dwell on it.  It didn’t happen.  “Just a couple more questions, okay?  How much does he know about us?”  Theseus doesn’t ask _how much did you tell him,_ because it’s not Newt’s fault.  It isn’t.

“A lot,” Newt says miserably.

“Does he know our address?” Theseus prompts.

Newt shakes his head.

“Are you sure?”

“I didn’t tell him and it - it’s not on my blog.  He can’t know.”

“Good.  Newt, that’s really good.”  He looks down into Newt’s big, worried eyes, and wishes to god he’d seen this coming.

“Do you think he’s gonna try to find us again?”

Theseus takes a moment before he answers.  He doesn’t want to scare Newt, but lying to him won’t help either.  “I don’t know.  He might.  We’re not going to wait for that though, we’re going to make sure he can’t.”

“How?”

“With the chat logs from your blog.”

Newt’s forehead creases in confusion.  “With what?”

“Your blog - You talked with him online, right?  So we have a record of everything he said saved, and if we show it to the right people we’ll make sure he can’t do this again.”

Newt is shaking his head before Theseus even finishes the sentence.  “It’s not.  It’s not saved, it all goes away after a day.  It’s really annoying if you wanna look back at something you said, but - it’s gone,” he finishes quietly.

It’s gone.

_Do you though?  I wonder._

It’s gone, and they have nothing.  No proof, no evidence.

And Graves knows it.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus’ mind works the whole way home.  They don’t have chat logs, they don’t have texts, but they still have the account Graves used.  That must have connections to Newt’s blog, and maybe it can be traced back to him if someone’s willing to take Newt seriously.  And they might.  They might look into it at least, and surely some evidence will turn up.  And they have a name - Percival Graves.

Theseus follows Newt up to his bedroom, sitting with him as he turns on his computer.  Newt needs to rest, Theseus knows that, but at the very least he can block Graves’ account first, and stop the man from messaging him again.  Tomorrow he’ll figure out who they need to talk to, and exactly how they’re going to deal with this whole mess.

But there’s nothing to block.  When Newt opens his contacts the account is gone, and searching for it returns an empty page.

It’s gone.

Deleted, Theseus suspects, to prevent exactly the thing he intended to do.

Just a name, then.

This is all slipping away from them, and Theseus can feel them losing more ground by what seems like the moment.  Newt is looking at him expectantly, the question of _what now_ hanging in his eyes, and Theseus wants so badly to be able to answer it.

“It’s okay, I’m gonna make sure you’re safe.  I am,” he promises, to himself as much as to Newt.  “I need you to tell me right away if he tries to contact you again, okay?  Don’t respond, just tell me.”

Newt nods, quiet.  “Okay.  Theseus…” Newt worries his bottom lip, looking as though whatever he’s about to say is eating him up. “Please don’t tell Mom.   _Please,_ ” he adds quickly, seeing Theseus’ expression.  “She’d be so mad I went to see Percy, she wouldn’t understand at all.  She hates when I go online, what if she doesn’t let me anymore?”

Theseus sees the concern on his brother’s face, and the guilt that lies just underneath.  He wishes he could say that wouldn’t happen, but he honestly doesn’t know.  He thinks about how tired she’ll be when she gets home tonight, and how badly it would scare her.  And after all - nothing happened.  Newt is fine, Theseus took care of him.

“All right - _for now_ , we don’t have to tell her.”  Theseus sighs, standing up.  “You rest for a bit, okay?  I’ll check on you later, bring you something to eat maybe.”

“Theseus?”  Newt’s voice is quiet, and he looks small sitting on the bed.  “I - I thought he was my friend.”

Theseus pauses, hand on the doorknob.  “I know, Newt.  I know.  It’s not your fault.”  He draws the door closed behind him, leaning his forehead against it heavily.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus allows himself fifteen minutes to sit on his bed with his head in his hands before he pulls himself together.  Yes, it’s a fucked up situation, and no, they don’t have much to work with, but the important thing is that Newt is sitting in his room right now and he is _fine._  Shaken up, scared maybe, but fine.

Theseus checks his phone, unsurprised to see several texts from Sera.

**_Seraphina P <3 (4 new messages)_ **

_Thes, what happened?  Are you okay?_

_Is Newt okay?_

_I can’t believe you left like that, you’re scaring me_

_Please Theseus, just text me_

He sighs heavily.  He owns her an explanation, he really does.  The rest of the shift must have been awful one person down, not to mention the way he left.  But he’s exhausted, and he doesn’t know where to start.

_We’re both fine, we’re home now_

_I’m sorry I left you short.  I’ll explain it all later, okay?_

It’ll have to do.

Theseus takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself as he opens his own computer.  He has to think them a way out of this.  While there's a chance Graves won't come for Newt again, Theseus remembers his slow, smug smile, and he's not going to bet on it.  But if all they have is Newt’s word against his… well.  The first step is to find out what Graves’ word is worth to other people.  He types _Percival Graves_ into the search engine and waits for the results to load.

There are a lot of hits, more than he expected.  The first link takes him to _macusaenergy.com_ , and his heart sinks at what he reads.

_Percival Graves, Chief Security Officer (CSO) for MACUSA Energy Corporation._

There’s even a picture.

Theseus spends the next hour reading articles about the many generous charitable donations and causes of one of the security industry's top professionals, who happens to work for one of the most powerful companies in the country.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the calm before the storm, as it were. Enjoy! <3

When Newt wakes up the next morning he has a half dozen new messages on his blog, all from anonymous throwaway accounts.  All from Graves.  Theseus screenshots everything, but none of it looks all that bad without the context.  Somehow, he suspects the accounts couldn’t be traced back to Graves anyway.

Theseus doesn’t know how to explain what he found out - that even if they did go forward, without solid proof Graves has the reputation and power to brush them aside at best, and ruin them at worst.  No one is going to believe them.

Newt looks at him confused when he tries.  “He’s a security guard?”

Theseus shakes his head.  “No - well, sort of.  He’s an executive for the company, he’s in charge of all the security they have.  It means… well.  It means people trust him, a lot.”

“Oh.  You mean, if he said one thing and I said something else… they’d believe _him_.”

“Yeah.  Yeah, I think they would.”

“But I’m telling the truth!”  Newt’s face is creased with the unfairness of it, and it makes Theseus’ chest ache.

“I know.  And I’m gonna figure something out, okay?”  He presses his lips together, forcing a thin smile.  “Trust me.”

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Graves doesn’t stop.  He keeps sending messages, more that afternoon, more the next day, ranging from innocent to suggestively vulgar.  They’re all from different accounts, making it next to impossible to block.  Most of them are for Newt - _I thought we were friends, what happened? - I really liked meeting you, maybe we could do it again - You have a great smile Newt, send me a pic? -_ But Theseus suspects some of them are meant for him as well.

He sees the toll it takes on Newt, and he hates it.  He gets out of work early on Friday afternoon and finds Newt curled up on his bed, homework spread out around him and conspicuously across the room from his computer, looking miserable.

“Hey, Newt.  Come on, let’s get out for a bit.”

Newt looks up and shrugs halfheartedly, clearly not all that keen on leaving the house.

“How about the zoo?”

That gets Newt’s attention.  “Really?”

“Yeah.  We’ve got nothing else to do, right?  Homework can wait.”

Newt’s face breaks into the first smile Theseus has seen in days.

The zoo is just about the only offline place that Theseus has known Newt to really be excited about, and that seems to be exactly what he needs right now.  If Theseus can at least provide him a couple hours’ distraction, he’ll do it gladly.  Theseus had asked Newt once if he had a favorite exhibit, and Newt had looked scandalized.  All of them, he said.  He loved all of them.

Newt practically dashes out of the car when they arrive, as though he can’t get to the ticket counter fast enough.  Theseus grins, following behind him.  The attendant offers them a map, but Newt doesn’t need it.  He knows exactly where he’s going, and Theseus lets him lead the way.

Newt somehow remembers the name of every animal.  He knows exactly what they need, what they like, and how they were doing the last time he visited.  They stop at the lion cubs, nearly a year old now, and Newt has a myriad of detailed questions about their development for the zookeeper stationed there.  She looks amused at first, smiling at Theseus over Newt’s head, before some of Newt’s more insightful questions draw her in, and before long they’re talking about the unique challenges of raising cubs in a sanctuary environment.

Zookeepers are somebody Newt can talk to.  They don’t mind an awkward fourteen year old boy who doesn’t make eye contact and knows too much about creatures monopolizing their time.  They love it, in fact.  It gives them a break from the usual sort of visitors who come through asking the same questions on repeat, it gives Newt a chance to discuss his ideas with someone knowledgeable and passionate, and Theseus couldn’t be happy to watch them.  The conversation is over his head, but that doesn’t matter.

Newt explains to Theseus the dietary needs of the koalas, the ideal habitat for tapirs, and falls deep into a conversation about conservation with the keeper by the cheetahs.  Theseus follows, and watches, and smiles.  Newt may ramble through a dozen different obscure facts, but he does it out of pure interest, not to show off.  There’s nothing pretentious about how Newt talks, only genuine excitement to know about these creatures, to learn more, and to share.  Sometimes Theseus is in awe of his brother for that.  

Newt is so animated and happy that Theseus almost manages to relax too.  He buys them both lunch, a bit expensive but worth it, and marvels at how Newt manages to eat his slice of pizza without slowing down his explanation of penguin mating strategies.

He’s a good kid.  He’s a really good kid, and he doesn’t deserve to have to deal with any of this.  He deserves to have a childhood, to make friends and be carefree and love his creatures.  The relief at seeing Newt happy - actually happy - only deepens Theseus’ resolve to do whatever he has to in order to keep him safe.  And Theseus is starting to think there’s a chance he might know what that is.

But he doesn’t need to think about that right now.  Later, when he’s alone, when he has time to look for options, but not now.  He smiles as Newt explains how penguins’ feathers are designed to help them swim, illustrating with his hands and nearly knocking over his soda before grinning a little sheepishly and continuing.

They stay until the zoo closes at six o’clock that evening, only leaving once Newt has made sure to visit every exhibit.  Newt seems tired but happy, chatting the whole way home save for the occasional lapse into contented silence.  Theseus feels the weight start to settle back over him as he pulls them into the driveway, and he hopes Newt doesn’t feel it too.

But Newt’s cheerfulness doesn’t seem to diminish, even as they go inside.  They get back just in time to help start dinner, and Newt happily recounts the afternoon in detail to their mother as they cook.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Hey how’s it going! :D_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _You busy?_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _You’re not talking to Percy instead are you? :P_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Okay well, catch you later I guess XD_

 

\----------------------------------------

 

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _You’ll never believe what happened at school today XDD_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Wanna hear? :D_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Hey.._

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Are you there?_

 

\----------------------------------------

 

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _You haven’t posted in a while_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Is everything okay?_

 **_strangeMagic:_ ** _Newt??_

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_Seraphina P <3 (1 new message)_ **

_Theseus Scamander if you don’t tell me what’s going on right the hell now I am going to come find you._

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus knows that he is well past owing Seraphina an explanation.  They haven’t had a shift scheduled together since Newt texted and Theseus took off, and if he’s honest, he’s been finding excuses to avoid telling her.  Dealing with it is one thing, but talking about it and explaining it is another.  It makes it feel different somehow.  

He doesn’t want her any more involved than she absolutely has to be either.  The last thing he wants is to put her in a situation where she feels responsible, or where she has to keep a secret for him.  Especially something like this.

But he can’t keep it from her, and he knows she wouldn’t want him to.  She is absolutely serious when she says she will come find him, if she’s convinced he’s in trouble.  There doesn’t seem to be any good answer, but he types out a reply to her anyway.

_Okay.  I’m sorry_

_Can I pick you up after work?  We can talk, I’ll explain_

_You get off at 4 on Tuesdays, right?_

He waits the anxious few minutes it takes for his phone to buzz with a reply.

**_Seraphina P <3 (2 new messages)_ **

_Yes._

_4:00, don’t be late_

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus pulls up at Kowalski Quality Baked Goods and Coffee at five to four, and lets the engine idle while he waits for Sera to come out the back.  He watches the minutes tick by on the dashboard clock, trying to figure out what he’s going to say.  He doesn’t know whether she’ll be more mad or more worried, and he doesn’t know how to explain it all without freaking her out.

No, not freaking _her_ out.  Freaking himself out.

A tap on the glass startles him out of his thoughts, and he looks up to see Sera at the window, bag under one arm and shading her eyes from the glare of the sun.  Theseus unlocks the doors and gestures her around to the passenger side.  She slides in, shuts the door with a thump, and reaches to adjust the air conditioning.

“Theseus.  What the hell happened that day?” She asks without preamble.  Her voice is calm, concerned, and all in a rush Theseus is so glad to be talking with her.

“Newt met this guy online.  He said he was seventeen, but - he wasn’t.  Newt texted me because…” Theseus swallows, mouth dry and fingers tightening on the edge of the seat.  “The guy got him to meet him at the park.”

“Jesus.”  Sera sets her hand on top of Theseus’, squeezing.  “Did Newt…?”

“He’s fine.  Scared, but… I got there in time, I got him out of there.  Newt took him to meet every squirrel in the park I guess, bought himself some time.”

Sera smiles wryly.  “He would.”

Theseus looks up into her eyes, and suddenly nothing seems quite so bad.  He explains everything.  What kind of man Percival Graves is, how he won’t stop messaging Newt, how they don’t have any proof.  Sera listens, and she nods, and she does absolutely everything Theseus needs her to except come up with some magical alternative solution.

There’s a pause when he runs out of things to say, staring down at where his hands rest on the bottom of the steering wheel, letting it all sink in.

“We’re gonna figure this out, okay?”

Theseus shakes his head.  “Not we, Sera, this isn’t your thing to deal with.  I -”

“None of this is your fault, Theseus,” she says quietly.

He looks up, a little startled.  “I know that, I…”

“Do you?”

He can’t quite meet her eyes, and she threads her fingers through his.

“All we need is a little time.  We’ll think of something.”  She squeezes his hand again before letting go, raising her arms up over the back of the seat and stretching.  “Take me for a drive, okay?  Somewhere out on the highway.  Let’s get out of this parking lot.”

“Yeah.  Yeah, okay.”

Theseus rocks the gear shift back into reverse, pulling out of the parking space in one smooth motion as Sera pulls the seatbelt across her lap.  It fastens with a click, and Theseus puts the car into gear.

Theseus takes the road along the river, the one with no stoplights.  It winds through the valley like it’s got nowhere to go and all the time to get there, taking them anywhere.

They roll the windows down and Theseus drives faster than he should, hands sure on the wheel.  Seraphina leans her head back and smiles, wind whipping through her hair, and the setting sun casts a glow across her skin and over the water.

They hold hands and they breathe and they don’t talk.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

The taste of Seraphina’s lipstick is still a memory from when Theseus dropped her off.   He’d rather drive around with her all night than go home, letting the wind from the road steal his problems away until he’s at peace.  It’s an illusion, a timeless sort of fantasy, but it’s nice.

And it can’t last.

He gets home feeling pleasantly windswept, trying to hold onto the radiance of the evening, and feeling the stifling stillness of the house as he opens the front door.

Newt is sitting in front of the TV looking thoroughly unconvinced that whatever’s playing is worth his time, and he looks up when Theseus comes in.

“Hey, Thes,” he says, sounding dejected, and Theseus feels the glow of Seraphina’s company start to ebb away.

“Hey Newt.  Where’s Mom?”

“Upstairs.  She just got back.”  Newt flips the channel, and fidgets on the couch.  Theseus turns to go through to the kitchen, but Newt’s voice stops him.  “Hey, Theseus?  Will you check the messages again?”

Newt doesn’t check his own messages on his blog anymore, and Theseus can’t blame him.  He doesn’t go online much at all actually, not with everything that’s happened - and everything that’s still happening.  So it falls to Theseus to screenshot and then delete the daily influx of messages from the man cyberstalking his little brother.  He’ll do it for Newt, he’ll do anything for Newt.

But it makes his chest tighten and his stomach churn every time, and he has the thought - the useless, selfish thought - that he doesn't want to.

“Yeah.  Yeah, of course.  Is your computer in your room?”

Newt nods, and Theseus changes course to head up the stairs.  

He turns on Newt’s computer and navigates to the inbox, and sure enough.  Four messages, all from different accounts, that all look like they’re from Graves.  There are a few from Leta too, and Theseus wishes Newt would talk to her.  He understands why he doesn’t, at least to a point, but he needs his friend.  Theseus needs him to have a friend.

Theseus shakes the thought away, refusing to pursue it.  He’ll always take care of Newt, even if he’s the only person left in the world who does.  He’s the only one who can.

Theseus opens each of Graves’ messages, screenshotting and deleting it in turn, not paying too much attention to the contents.

Or he tries not to pay attention, but the last message makes him pause.  He hesitates before deleting it, reading it over again.  And again.

_How about I meet you after school tomorrow?  I can pick you up.  Your brother won’t be there to get in the way, we can have some fun.  I miss you, I just wanna hang out_

Theseus’ heart pounds in his chest.  He doesn’t know if Graves would really do it, if he would just grab Newt like that, but nothing else he’s sent has had such a direct threat.  Theseus’ mind races, trying to figure out what to do, trying to come to a decision.  He needs to do something now, if he’s going to do it, he won’t have this opportunity again before it’s too late.

He stares at the screen, words scorched into his brain, and he can’t do this anymore.  Theseus can’t let this man keep ruining his brother’s life.  He doesn’t know why Graves can’t let them go, just let them be.  Understanding how it can possibly be worth the effort it must take, the planning, the risk, what it takes to consider this _fun_ or some sort of sick _hobby_ is beyond him, and really, he’s glad of that.

Seraphina said they just needed time, but they don’t have it.  Whatever solution she’d hoped for, it’s too late for that now.  Theseus can’t take the chance.  He couldn’t live with himself if…

No.  If there’s even a chance, Theseus doesn’t know how he can let it go.

He clicks to open the chat window.

 **_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _This is Theseus Scamander_

 **_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _This needs to stop._

 **_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _I want to meet_

The reply is instantaneous.

 **_Scorpion1926:_ ** _Want me to pick you up after school?  I’ll take you back to my place ;)_

 **_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _No.  I’ll get there myself_

 **_fantastic-beasts:_ ** _Tell me when and where_

 **_Scorpion1926:_ ** _Okay kid, I’m curious_

 **_Scorpion1926:_ ** _My address is 165 Occamy street.  Be there at 7 tomorrow._

 **_Scorpion1926:_ ** _Good luck convincing me.  You know what’s at stake._

Theseus takes down the address, then deletes the conversation.  It’s done.  Seven o’clock tomorrow he’s going to end this, and save Newt.  Whatever the cost.

Theseus doesn’t eat much at dinner.  He tries to join in the conversation but he fails, rather badly, and when his mother tries to pull him aside after dinner he brushes past her.  It’s much too late now for explanations.

He readies himself for bed, trying to take some comfort in the routine.  He longs for the days, years ago now, when climbing under the covers was all the protection needed from the outside world.  The lights turned out and a blanket pulled up to his chin made everything else fade away.  It was easier.

It doesn’t work that way anymore.

 _None of this is your fault_ , Seraphina had said, and he wonders if that’s true.  He wonders if it even matters.  It doesn’t feel like anybody’s fault, not really.  He refuses to blame Newt; he’s a kid, this isn’t on him.  Maybe Theseus could have stopped it, or seen it coming, but it feels like it hit the same way a hurricane does.  It’s going to happen, and the only difference is how well you prepare and what you do after.

Well, he wasn’t prepared, and this is the clean up.  And he’ll do it, because he has too.

He lies awake in bed for a long time that night.

Theseus takes a long shower before school the next morning, and he tries to let the hot water beating against his back wash some of the tension out of him.  It doesn’t work.

He goes through the day jittery, determined but restless, tension mounting as the hours pass.  He sits through school and then work, and he can’t decide if he’s glad or not that he doesn’t have a shift with Seraphina.  He needs her right now, her confidence and her calm, but he doesn’t know if he could go through with it if he saw her.  And he needs to go through with it.  She’d take one look at him and she’d know, she’d try to talk him down, and she wouldn’t understand.  This is bigger than him.

That evening he lies and says he’s scheduled for a late shift.  It sucks, it happens sometimes, he’s gotta go.  Won’t be back until late.

He types Graves’ address into the GPS on his phone and lets the automated voice guide him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week's chapter will go up a day early (Monday instead of Tuesday) so that my American readers don't have to choose between fic and fireworks on the 4th of July :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be aware - this chapter is explicit non-con. Please please check the tags before reading, and if it doesn't look like your thing, the conclusion next week should be understandable regardless <3 If it does look like your thing, have a great time XD

Theseus parks his car and turns off the engine, gripping the steering wheel for long moments before he can force himself to move.  He looks up at the house looming in front of him and double checks the address.  Wouldn’t that be something if he showed up and offered himself to the wrong guy, he thinks with a bitter edge of panic.  But no, it’s the right house.

He steps out of the car, closes the door, locks it, and shoves the keys in his pocket.  He has to do this.  He has to.  

Graves answers the door quickly when Theseus knocks.  Graves is expecting him after all, even if he doesn’t exactly know for what.  Theseus couldn’t stand the thought of putting that in writing.  Graves regards him with an amused sort of curiosity as he lets him in, no doubt wondering how exactly Theseus plans to bargain for his brother.

“Come in.  Have a seat.”  Graves beckons Theseus through to the living room, indicating a couch.  Theseus stands for a moment, feeling strangely disconnected from himself and from this man’s fancy as fuck living room before he sits down.  His mouth is dry, and he realizes he hasn’t yet said anything to Graves at all.

“I assume you’re here on behalf of your brother.  Is there something I can do for the two of you?”  Graves settles himself across from Theseus, sitting comfortably among the pillows of his couch.

Theseus’ hands clench into fists at his sides.  “You need to leave him alone,” he says, voice low.

Graves looks thoroughly unimpressed.

“Look.  I know what you want.”  Theseus can’t help the way his lip twitches in disgust.  But he’s here, he has to do what he came for.  There’s no sense drawing it out, no sense playing games.  “And I’m going to make this really easy for you.  I’m here, and I’m going to give you…” he swallows.   “What you want.  And you don’t ever contact my brother again.”  Theseus hears his own heart pounding in his ears, and he’s surprised his voice sounds as measured as it does.  He’s said it.  Now he can’t take it back.

Graves’ eyes widen slightly and he leans back, crossing his arms.  “You really would do anything for your little brother.  Wouldn’t you?”

Theseus gives a sharp nod, jaw tight.

“What a touching display of affection.  There’s just one problem.”  Theseus holds Graves’ gaze, holding fast to his determination and trying not to think about exactly what comes next.  “I’m not sure you’re my type.”

Not his - _your type is my little brother you bastard, if I ever get the chance -_

“He could have been sending you pictures of me from three years ago, and you never would have noticed.”

“That’s just the thing.”  Graves inclines his head slightly, as though Theseus has said something clever.  “Three years ago.”

Theseus feels sick.  His breath stutters and he takes in air in one, two quick gasps as he looks down at the floor.  He knows what he has to do.  When he looks up again he does it through his lashes, letting the confidence fade from the set of his shoulders, widening his eyes just a little.  Trying not to think about how he’s imitating Newt, moulding himself into something Graves finds attractive.

Graves smiles.  “That’s more like it.  How old are you?”

“Seventeen,” Theseus replies, doing everything he can not to lock his jaw.

Graves hums in approval.  “Well, you know what you came here to do,” he says, uncrossing his arms and spreading his legs wider on the couch.  “Go ahead.”

Theseus tries to steady himself, hands fisting the fabric of his jeans.  “I do this, and you never talk to Newt again.  You never touch him, understand?  It’s me for him.”

“Uh huh.  There’s no one home with him after school, is there?”

“What?”

“I’m just saying, you’re not in much of a position to bargain.  But if you do a good job… well.  I’d consider my next move very carefully if I were you.”

Theseus feels control of the situation slipping away from him, feeling dizzier by the second.  The whole point is Newt, he wants a _guarantee_ , not a threat.  But the idea of Newt alone in the house with Graves coming for him makes Theseus’ blood run cold, and he can’t take that chance.

He slides forward off the couch, towards Graves, until he’s kneeling between the man’s spread thighs.  He hesitates, not sure what to do, not exactly.  Graves makes an impatient noise above him.

“Go on.  Let’s start with your mouth.”

Theseus looks down to the front of Graves’ pants, and he sees the bulge there.  Slowly, he brings his hands up to undo the fastenings.  To his dismay, they’re shaking.  He reaches forward to take out Graves’ cock, already half hard in front of his face, and he bites back a shiver of revulsion.  He feels Graves’ hand curl around the back of his neck and he flinches, but forces himself not to pull away.

“Condoms,” he grits out.

“Not necessary.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t know why you would.” Graves’ fingers tighten, drawing Theseus ever so slightly forward.  “But it’s your choice.  You suck my dick and take your chances, or I fuck your little fourteen year old brother until he’s raw and gaping.”

Theseus swallows.  “You bastard,” he whispers.

“Are you going to save your little brother or not?”

Theseus closes his eyes, wetting his lips.  

“Yes,” he breathes, and lets Graves pull him forward until Theseus’ lips bump against the head of his cock, and Theseus opens his mouth.

He takes the tip of Graves’ cock on his tongue, closing his lips around it and holding it as the pressure on the back of his neck eases slightly and Graves exhales above him.

“You ever done this before, kid?”

Theseus can’t respond properly, not with a dick in his mouth, and he doubts Graves will let him pull back.  He shakes his head minutely, already feeling the saliva starting to pool behind his lips.

“Perfect.”  Graves presses him down farther until his cock is filling Theseus’ mouth, his jaw wide and lips stretched around it.  It’s big and heavy on his tongue, the taste and smell overwhelming him.  “Virgin, then?”  Theseus shakes his head again.  “I’m betting you’ve never been fucked, though.  Is that right?”  After a moment, Theseus nods.  There’s nothing else he can do.  “Oh, you’re going to be fun.”  Graves adjusts on the couch, pressing his hips up slightly and nearly making Theseus gag.  “But that’s - _Mmm._  That’s for later.  Come on, let’s get you started.”

Graves grips Theseus’ hair firmly, pulling him up until just the head of his cock is left in his mouth, before pushing him back down again.  He repeats the motion until drool spills over Theseus’ chin and Graves makes a satisfied noise.  “That’s it.  Use your tongue.”

Theseus does.  He works his mouth, trying to lick over the head of Graves’ cock when the man pulls him up, and flatten his tongue along the shaft when he’s pushed down again.  He doesn’t know how to do this.  He’s struggling, he keeps messing up his breathing and it’s _terrifying_ , the idea that if Graves pushed him down just a little farther he wouldn’t have air.  This isn’t - this isn’t what he thought this was.  He’s had friends who told him this kind of thing feels _nice_ , but _Christ_ , he doesn’t know what’s happening.  He has no control at all with both of Graves’ hands on the back of his head and he tries to brace his own hands against Graves’ thighs, but it does absolutely nothing to give him leverage.

The only thing he knows for certain is that he can’t - _he can’t_ \- let this happen to Newt.  Not his brother, not ever.

Graves pulls him up until just the tip of his cock is resting between Theseus’ lips, holding him there for a long moment, and Theseus shudders with the relief of a respite.

“You ready kid?  Deep breath.”

What - _no -_

Theseus doesn’t have time to inhale before Graves drags him down again, farther, forcing his cock down Theseus’ throat and he gags painfully, but to absolutely no effect.   _He can’t breathe, fuck he can’t breathe -_

He has no idea how long Graves keeps him pinned like that.  By the time Graves pulls him up by the hair, all the way free of his cock this time, Theseus’ head is pounding and his vision is blurred, dark around the edges.

“What did I tell you to do?”  Graves’ voice comes out of nowhere, feeling as though it’s barely making its way to Theseus’ brain.

“Wha -”

Graves slaps him, the sting on his cheek cutting through the fog in his head.

“Think, boy.  What did I say?”

Theseus gasps, trying to make his brain work, trying to pull his thoughts into some semblance of coherence.

“You… you, uh… d-deep - deep breath… Deep breath?”

“Yeah, that’s it.  So what are you going to do this time?”

Theseus chokes on a whimper and Graves’ hand tightens in his hair.  “T-take a deep breath.”

“Good boy.  Let’s try again.”

Theseus does it this time, gasping air desperately before Graves’ cock passes his lips and he’s held with his head buried in Graves’ lap.  He gags again, throat convulsing around Graves’ cock as it’s forced into him, but his vision stays clear.

Graves does it again.  And again.  Theseus loses count.  If he focuses on anything other than breathing he might not get to.  

Eventually he can’t struggle anymore.  His throat relaxes around Graves’ cock, and the wet gurgles pulled from him sound as though they’re coming from far away.  Graves is talking probably, or moaning, but Theseus can’t hear it.  

Graves’ grip tightens, and Theseus realizes his cock is pulsing down his throat.  He coughs, body jerking instinctively to pull back, but he can’t.

“Swallow it,” Graves growls from above him, and Theseus does.

Graves doesn’t let him up until Theseus is struggling weakly, instinctively, and then he throws him backwards, sending him to the floor.

“You bastard,” Theseus sobs as soon as he gets the breath, coughing on his hands and knees.  “You bastard, if you touch my brother I’ll kill you, I swear I’ll kill you -”

“If I touch _him?_  But I can touch you however I want, can’t I.”

Theseus pants on the floor, throat raw and burning.  

He nods.

“That’s right.  Now, kid - are you ready for part two?”

Theseus makes a lost sound as Graves hauls him to his feet, and he shakes his head uselessly as he’s propelled down a hallway.  It’s not even really a protest - when it comes down to it, Theseus isn’t going to fight.  Graves drags him to the bedroom and tosses him onto the mattress.  Theseus bounces against it, not having the strength or presence of mind to catch himself.

“Get naked. Face down, ass up.”

Theseus turns around to stare at him in shock.

“What? Backing off now, are you? Think of your little brother.  If you have any _hesitations_ I suggest you picture him learning how to please me.  You know what I like.”

Theseus shakes his head, numb, and his fingers move on their own to find the hem of his shirt.  He can’t seem to think of anything except Newt.  And Newt in this man’s hands… Theseus couldn’t live with it.  He wouldn’t want to live with it.  He tugs his shirt over his head and starts unfastening his pants.

“Yeah, I thought so.”  Graves turns away, fishing for something in a drawer as Theseus finishes undressing.  He sits naked on the bed, fighting the urge to try to cover himself because it’s not going to matter soon, and staring abstractedly at the pattern on the bedspread.  Graves straightens, but doesn’t yet turn around.

“Boy.  Get your ass in the air.  What exactly do you think is going to happen if you haven’t done as you’re told?”

Theseus startles, looking up suddenly as fear spikes through his chest.  He doesn’t know, he doesn’t want to know, and he pulls himself up on his hands and knees.  Slowly, skin crawling with humiliation, he folds his arms against the bed and pillows his head on them.  Face down, ass up.  Presenting himself.

Theseus can feel the mattress dipping as Graves kneels behind him, and then his hands land on Theseus’ ass.  Graves spreads him open and he hisses, head jerking up, but of course Graves doesn’t let him.

“Ah-ah.  Head down.  I thought you said you were going to make this easy for me?”

Theseus lets his head drop again, not trusting himself to speak.  He isn’t sure if he would start sobbing or cursing Graves out, but neither of those things would help him.  Neither would help Newt.  He’s never been so vulnerable, not like this, with Graves prying open his ass and inspecting his hole.

Graves’ hands start to wander, running down the backs of his thighs and over his hips, kneading his ass cheeks and just catching on Theseus’ hole, the drag of it making his stomach lurch.  He’s completely exposed, ass open and on display, cock dangling between his legs.  Just waiting there with his ass up in the air, for however Graves wants to use him.

Theseus hears a tube uncapping and moments later there’s something cool dripping down over his hole.  It feels disgusting and he can’t hold back a shiver, but - thank god.  Thank god he’s using lube.  Theseus may not have done this before, but he knows he doesn’t want to find out what it’s like without it.

Graves presses against his hole, circling it without quite pushing inside, massaging him and making him twitch.  He lays his palm flat, chasing some of the lube inside with his thumb, and then pressing the tip in after it.  Theseus feel nauseous with it, it’s just a thumb but it feels huge, holding him open as he tries reflexively to clench and tighten.  And then Graves tugs against the rim, and it’s as though the bed tips sideways.

“You ever fucked a girl?”  Graves presses his thumb in deeper when Theseus doesn’t answer, forcing a whimper out of him.  “Oh come on, don’t give up on me now.  You came here so determined, where’s that grit?  Tell me.  Have you ever fucked a girl?”

He doesn’t want to think about that. Not here, not now, not like this, but the images come to his head unbidden.   _Seraphina laying back against the pillows, arms curled around his shoulders as she smiles at him, nudging her thighs apart, inviting._

“Yes,” he chokes out.  “Yes.”

“Did she feel good on your dick?”

Theseus screws his face up against the sheets, hot tears spilling over.  What’s the point of this, why does it matter?  Can’t Graves just fuck him, get it over with, and let him go home to Newt?  He doesn’t want to think of Sera like that, as some - some object to be used.

Like he is right now.

Hopeless, humiliated, he nods.

“Uh huh.”  Graves is still playing with his hole, easing his thumb in and out, pressing in deeper each time.  “Nice and tight?”

Theseus takes a breath which might be a sob.

Graves plants his free hand on the mattress by Theseus’ shoulder and leans forward over him until he’s close enough to murmur in Theseus’ ear, breath hot against his cheek.

“You ever wonder what it felt like for her?”

No - _no._  Not like this, it can’t have.  They’d talked about it, she’d asked him for it, she’d been laughing.

“She - she wanted it,” Theseus snarls.  “Not like this, she - it wasn’t like this.”

“Ah, there’s that fight.  I bet you treated her real nice.  Made her moan?  Made her come?”  

Theseus growls into the sheets, anger and humiliation crawling up his spine because this, somehow - this almost feels like more of a violation than having Graves’ thumb up his ass.  Graves can’t have that piece of him, he doesn’t get to twist those memories.  That wasn’t in the deal.  

“In the end you still fucked her though, didn’t you.  You say it made her feel good?  Baby.  It’s gonna feel _so_ good.”

Graves pulls his thumb out and replaces it with two fingers, making Theseus bite back a whimper at the stretch.  He can feel himself loosening up, body adjusting to take Graves inside, and he’s torn between not wanting to give Graves anything and not wanting it to hurt.  Graves fucks his fingers in and out of him, quick, efficient, until it’s not a struggle anymore.  Theseus bites the insides of his cheeks, trying to think about anything other than the slick sounds his hole is making.

Graves slows his thrusts, working into Theseus deep, slow, feeling out his insides, and then -

_Oh._

_Oh fuck._

Pleasure surges through him and he presses back reflexively onto Graves’ hand, trying to chase the sensation, a moan falling from his lips.  The intensity fades after a moment, but the pleasure… doesn’t quite.  Somehow Graves’ fingers don’t feel quite so strange inside him, and to his dismay his cock starts to fill.

“What - _ohhh…”_  He breaks off into another moan as Graves rubs that spot again, and something warm starts to grow in Theseus’ belly.  His prostate, he thinks, that - that must be his prostate.  And fuck, he’s never felt anything like it.  He bites his lips, trying to hold back the sounds threatening to spill from them as arousal mixes with nausea in his stomach, determined not to give Graves the satisfaction, even if…

But Graves doesn’t let up, he doesn’t stop.  He adds a third finger, pressing it in slowly as he hits that spot inside, and when did the stretch start feeling good?  None of this should feel good, he should hate this, and though a part of him does that part is rapidly losing control.  A whine gets past his teeth as his hips jerk backwards, searching for the sensation he doesn’t even want.

“Just let it happen kid, that’s it.”

Theseus’ mind is fuzzy, his body rocking with Graves’ motions even as he shakes his head.  He doesn’t want this but he… his body does.  He presses back, trying to take Graves’ fingers deeper, and Graves rubs his thumb behind his balls, a gentle pressure.  Theseus can’t hold it back anymore.

“Oh - oh god.  Oh _fuck_ , I - ah - _ahh_ …”

“You like this part better, don’t you?  Better than sucking my dick.”

Theseus nods desperately, _yes_ , it feels _so_ good and he can breath, he can breath, god…

“You don’t even mind letting me play with your hole.  You’re all loose and wet inside, you feel that?  You’re wet for me.”

He does feel it.  The slide of Graves’ fingers inside him, the way his hole flutters and tenses, he feels all of it.  He doesn’t understand why he doesn’t hate it, why he’s not fighting it.  His whole body is relaxing as warmth spreads through him, filling him and overwhelming him, melting his resistance away until he’s a squirming, moaning mess on the bed.

“If you could see your face right now… you love it.  Is that why you’re here?  You heard your little brother was gonna get fucked and you got jealous, wanted it for yourself?  Never been fucked good and proper in your life, had to come crawling to me.  How long have you wanted it?”

Theseus tries to shake his head, but he can’t find voice to protest.  It’s not true, none of it is true, he just - he can’t think, _god -_

Graves pulls his hand free and Theseus _whimpers_ , he feels so empty, he needs it, he _needs_.

“Come on boy, when did you first realize you wanted to be fucked?  Was it with that girlfriend of yours?  She wasn’t all that good, was she.  You never wanted something on your dick, you wanted something in your hole.”

Theseus grips the sheets as something nudges against his entrance, and he shivers in relief as Graves presses against him.  He doesn’t want it, he doesn’t want to want it, but somehow his body craves it.  His hole stretches around Graves’ cock, bigger than his fingers, and it makes him ache so good inside.  Graves presses in slowly, letting Theseus feel every inch of him as he enters until finally he bottoms out and Theseus feels it pressing against his insides just right.  It’s so much, it fills him completely, unlike anything he’s ever felt.

And Graves starts to move.  He pulls back until only the head of his cock is still inside, stretching Theseus’ entrance, and he grips Theseus’ hips tight, holding him in place, before he thrusts back in.  Theseus feels it in his bones, reverberating through him, filling him deep.

Graves manages to hit Theseus’ prostate on every stroke, the angle exactly right, and between the waves of pleasure and the relentless snap of Graves’ hips Theseus barely knows where he is anymore.  He moans feverishly, the sounds forced from his throat adding to the wet slap of skin against skin as Graves fucks him, and Graves’ own grunts of effort and satisfaction.

Graves is talking above him, saying something, and Theseus can barely focus on the words but he tries.

“Oh yeah baby, your hole feels so good, so hot and wet for me.  Not as - _uh -_ not as tight as your little brother’s would be, but - Oh, _yeah.”_

Theseus’ head clears just enough to shove himself backwards, impossibly, desperately determined to take Graves’ cock deeper.  Not Newt, Graves can’t be thinking of Newt right now, _Theseus_ doesn’t want to be thinking of Newt right now.  Theseus clenches his hole around Graves’ length, he has to make it good enough, he has to make Graves think of _him._ That’s the whole point, that’s why he’s here, that’s what he’s for.

“Uh, fuck that’s good, that’s it baby -”

Theseus rocks back, trying to time it with Graves’ thrusts, trying to make him moan, trying to make him forget.  He doesn’t realize one of Graves’ hands has left his hip until it wraps around his throat.

Theseus makes a strangled sound of surprise as his fingers tighten just enough to threaten his breathing, closing in a strong, firm grip.  Theseus misses the rhythm and yelps as Graves thrusts into him again, hard.  He tries to find it again, he tries to get back some semblance of control, but Graves’ thrusts come hard and fast and he can’t seem to focus, he can’t think anymore, the pressure on his throat and the threat it brings overwhelming him.  He just needs to breathe, he needs to _breathe -_

Graves’ hand tightens further and Theseus chokes as Graves drags him up and back, mind going blank with the buzz of panic.  He makes a helpless, desperate gurgle, hands flying to his throat, but it only makes Graves squeeze down tighter.  

“Be a good boy and take it,” Graves hisses in his ear.  “ _Take it.”_

Tears stream down Theseus’ cheeks as he struggles, fingers pulling desperately at Graves’ wrist, and for nothing.  His head is pounding, his vision going grey and he _can’t,_ oh god he can’t -

His grip slackens, hands falling to his sides, and Graves’ hold loosens just enough that air floods back into him.  It burns his throat and lungs and he’s dizzy, the world swimming in and out of focus.  He sags bonelessly against Graves’ chest, body limp, as Graves continues to fuck up into him.

“I told you to take it.”

Theseus makes a rough, lost sound that might be an apology or might be a plea.  He’s locked in Graves’ grip, held up only by an arm wrapped around his waist and the hand at his throat, unable to support his own weight.  Graves keeps pounding into him, each thrust making his whole body quake, shaking him to the core.

There’s nothing he can do, he doesn’t want Graves to choke him again, he just wants to be good.  If he’s good maybe he can breathe, maybe if he just takes it Graves will let him, _maybe -_

But no - _no_ \- Graves’ fingers are tightening around his neck again, making his breathing strained.

“Are you going to take it this time?”

Graves doesn’t wait for an answer, and Theseus barely manages to gulp out a _“Please -”_ before the air is gone from his lungs.  Theseus’ head falls back against Graves’ shoulder and he stares up at the blank ceiling, jerking involuntarily in Graves’ arms and trying hopelessly not to struggle.

Theseus doesn’t know how long it takes.  When Graves lets him breathe again Theseus slumps in his arms, body sagging, and the only thing in his mind is the desperate need for air.

“Better,”  Graves murmurs.  And then they try again.

Graves continues until Theseus is limp against him, letting him do as he will, giving up everything but his most instinctive responses.  His head lolls to the side each time Graves loosens his grip, eyes unfocused and cheeks wet.

There’s nothing he can do.  There’s absolutely nothing he can do and the panic won’t leave him, burning in his chest along with the lack of oxygen.

“Good boy.  Good _fucking_ boy, god you’re so pretty when you can’t breathe.”

Graves’ arm vanishes from around his waist, and Theseus thinks vaguely that he isn’t sure how he’s going to stay upright.  Everything is hazy.

And then Graves’ hand closes around his cock.  His grip is rough, too tight, too much, and Theseus can’t take it on top of everything else.  But for the moment he can breathe, each breath painful but _possible,_ Graves’ hand still at his throat in threat but not squeezing down, and Theseus is grateful.

Graves jerks him fast, hard, the sensation too much and curling sickeningly in the cradle of his hips.  He gasps with each stab of pleasure as Graves drags him to the edge, in danger of tumbling over but _not yet_.

“ _Ahh -_ oh god, oh - oh _fuck,_ uh, uh, _u-uh - augh -”_

Graves’ fingers tighten, cutting off the sounds spilling from his lips and reducing him to choked gurgles, but even the fear can’t cloud out the arousal Graves forces on him.

Graves holds Theseus by the throat long enough for his vision to go fuzzy, then dim, everything starting to fade as he falls.

The shock of his orgasm washes through him, leaving him adrift and floating as it goes on, burning away the pain.  Graves thrusts into him one last time and stills.  The feeling of his cock pulsing into Theseus’ oversensitive hole forces its way into his awareness, a sensation that he almost doesn’t understand.

And then he does fall, landing face down on the mattress and utterly unable to catch himself as Graves releases him.  A heavy weight lands on top of him, pinning him, as Graves collapses over him.

They lay like that for long minutes, nothing but the sound of Graves’ deep, even breaths and Theseus’ half choked gasps filling the room.  The sudden calm is almost jarring.  Graves’ hand curls loosely around Theseus’ throat, fingertips just resting against the skin.

As the burn fades from Theseus’ lungs everything else starts to creep back into his awareness.  He’s sticky, soaked in sweat and face a mess of tears and saliva.  Come and lube trickle from his hole, leaving him wet and loose and he feels disgusting.  He squirms under the too-hot weight of Graves’ body, trying to extricate himself and praying his hand doesn’t close back around his throat.  He just wants to leave.  It’s done now, right?  What more can Graves want from him?  He just wants to go home.

Graves shifts and his fingers twitch, making panic crash back through Theseus like a wave, but they don’t tighten.  Not this time.  

Theseus crawls out from under him as Graves groans and rolls over on the bed, eyes closed.  Theseus looks down at himself to find his stomach covered in his own come, and he feels nauseous.  He’s a mess, there’s no part of him that hasn’t been used to Graves’ liking.  

But it’s done now.  It’s done, it has to be, he did what he had to do.  He shivers, air of the room cold against his bare skin, and god - where are his clothes?

He finds his pants and underwear crumpled on the floor by the bed and he pulls them on quickly, not waiting for Graves’ permission, each movement making him ache.  He’s filthy, he’s making a mess of the fabric, but the only thing he wants more than to clean himself up is to leave.

Graves props himself up on the bed, eyes following Theseus’ movements.

“Not too bad kid, that was fun.”

 _Fun._ That was fun.  The word doesn’t make sense in Theseus’ brain.

“I did what you wanted,” he says, voice a rasp.  He can already feel the bruises starting to form around his neck.  “I did it, now - don’t you ever touch my brother.  Don’t ever.”

Graves sits up, stretching lazily.  “Ah, but see - after fucking you, I can’t help but imagine how much better he would feel.  So small in my hands, tighter than you - do you think he’d try to fight, or would he love it as much as you did?”

Theseus wheels around, anger blotting out everything else.  The bastard, _no_ \- not after all this.  They had a _deal_ , and this monster is not getting his little brother -

He swings his fist, his only thought to give Graves bruises as deep and vivid as Theseus’ own and stop him from coming near Newt ever again.

In an instant Graves is standing, catching Theseus’ right wrist and _yanking_ , twisting him until Theseus’ back is against Graves’ chest, wrist pinned behind him, with Graves’ hand back around his throat.

“Really, kid?  Just haven’t had enough yet?”

“Don’t - don’t touch him -” Theseus manages, strained under the tight grip of Graves’ hand.  “You fucking bastard we had a d-deal, don’t -”

“I don’t think I ever agreed to your deal,” Graves growls.  “You were so desperate to save your baby brother you did whatever I said anyway.  But -” Graves’ grip on Theseus’ wrist tightens, twisting his arm until his shoulder flashes with stabs of pain.  “If it means that much to you.  There are always other kids.  That’s what you wanted, right?  I leave your brother alone and go have my fun elsewhere.”

Theseus’ stomach drops.  _No -_ god how could he be so stupid?  Of course Graves isn’t going to stop, of course there will be others, what did he expect?  What has he done, some other kid -

“I’m going to kill you.  I’m going to kill you, someday, I’ll _kill_ you -”

“Uh huh, sure.  You work on that.”

“Fuck you - let me go, let me _go_ -” Theseus twists desperately in Graves’ grip, sending pain spiking through his shoulder and making him gasp.

“Aw, but kid, you came here and asked for this.”

He did, god, he did.  It had been his idea, he’d insisted on it, he hadn’t fought it.  But he - he didn’t want it, he _didn’t._

“Are you forgetting how much you loved having my dick inside you?  How complete you felt?  Think about _that_ next time you’re fucking your girlfriend, how much you wish you were the one getting split open.”

“ _Fuck you,_ ” Theseus chokes, and Graves chuckles.

“No, baby.  Fuck _you._ ”  He spins Theseus around, trapping him face to face and squeezing both wrists behind his back, the pain in his shoulder only intensifying.  He smirks, slow, satisfied, and spits in Theseus’ face.  The glob of saliva hits him on the cheek, followed by a slap which knocks his head to the side.

“You got what you came here for.  Now get out of my house.”

He shoves Theseus backwards, sending him stumbling, and tosses his shirt after him.  Theseus trips and his back hits the wall, hard, shirt crumpling at his feet.  He snatches it up, yanking it over his head heedless of the way the movement makes his shoulder scream with pain, and he flees.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is the last chapter already?? Gosh it went by so fast. I don't really know what to say except that I hope you enjoy the conclusion <3

Theseus makes it out of sight of Graves’ house before he has to pull the car over.  His hands shake on the steering wheel and he tries to choke back the tears, but he can’t stop them.  He leans his head forward and sobs.   _You got what you came here for,_ Graves had said.  Newt is safe.  Newt is safe and that’s all that matters, that’s all he can let matter.  If he thinks about anything else…

He stops at a gas station, cleaning himself up as best he can in the tiny, dirty restroom.  His skin crawls with the filth on him, and the harsh buzz of the electric lights makes his head ache.  He wets a thin paper towel to wipe down his stomach.  There’s come on the inside of his shirt from where it sat against him and he tries to wipe that down too, but the paper towel shreds against the fabric.

He sees his reflection in the mirror and doesn’t recognize himself.  His hair is damp with sweat, eyes red, cheeks stained with tear tracks.  There are bruises blooming bright pink and purple in a ring around his throat.

There’s still come leaking from his ass, soaking through to the seat of his pants, and he tries but there’s not much he can do about it here.

In the end he manages to clean up enough that he probably won’t scare anybody when he gets home, at least if they don’t see him in the light.

He buys breath mints and a bottle of water, and the attendant’s eyes linger on his neck.

When he gets back to the car he rummages around in the back seat until he finds his jacket, pulling it on and popping the collar, wincing at the way the movement strains his shoulder.  It’s stiffening up, and he holds his arm close against his side.  He sits in the dark, sipping the water slowly, each swallow making his throat burn and throb.  When he drives again, it hurts to work the gear shift.

The house is dark when he gets home.  He’s not sure what time it is, but it must be late. Hopefully everyone is asleep.  He unlocks the door as quietly as he can, and tries to make his steps light on the stairs.  It’s not like he isn’t supposed to be out, he said he’d be back late, but it feels somehow blasphemous to create more of a presence than is necessary.

Newt’s light is on, a warm glow through the crack of his half open door, and when Theseus passes in the hallway Newt calls out to him.

“Thes?  Is that you?”

Theseus pauses, and he forces a pained swallow.

“Yeah, Newt.  It’s me.”  Theseus pushes open the door, doing everything he can to make his voice sound some semblance of normal.

Newt is tucked into bed, propped up against the pillows, looking sleepy and anxious and small, and Theseus can’t bear to look at him.

“I just wanted -” Newt starts, but Theseus cuts him off.

“Look, Newt.  I don’t think that guy is gonna bother you anymore,” Theseus says, looking at the floor.

“Percy?”

Theseus hears the rustling of blankets and looks up to see Newt in the process of climbing out of bed, probably about to run to him, and Theseus quickly holds up a hand.

“No, just - just stay in bed.  We’ll know for sure tomorrow I guess, and I… I gotta go.”

“Oh - okay.”  There’s confusion clouding over the relief on Newt’s face, and Newt can’t know.  Newt can never, ever know.

“Good night Newt.”

“Thank you Theseus…” Newt says, the last syllable of his name muffled as Theseus closes Newt’s door.  He can’t bring himself to reply.  Newt doesn’t know what he’s saying.

Theseus locks his own door and strips off his filthy clothes.  He feels gross, used, he doesn’t want to be in his own skin.  He doesn’t really know what to do with the clothes, so he bags them up and shoves them under his bed.  Maybe he’ll throw them away later, or burn them, but right now he just wants them out of sight.

He takes a shower and lets the water run until it’s cold, trying not to look down at himself as he scrubs.  It doesn’t matter, it’s not like he’s going to report.

Even once he’s dry and in his sleep clothes he doesn’t feel clean, and he falls asleep shivering under the covers.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

**_Seraphina P <3 (12 new messages)_ **

_How are things?  Holding up okay?_

_Why don’t you come over tonight, we’ll just hang out_

_At least tell me you’re taking care of yourself_

_Theseus what’s going on?_

_Why weren’t you at work today?_

_What happened_

_What did you do??_

_Theseus answer me PLEASE_

_We’ll sort this out, just fucking reply to me_

_Theseus_

_You’re scaring me_

_What happened?_

 

\----------------------------------------

 

Theseus startles at the sound of a knock on the front door.  He has the TV on, but he’s not really watching it.  He couldn’t even say what program is playing, he just couldn’t stand to sit in the silence.  The knocking doesn’t stop, and it grows more insistent as the moments stretch.  Reluctantly, Theseus stands and switches off the TV.  He’s the only one home, and as much as he doesn’t want to talk to anybody he’s the only one who’s there to make the knocking stop.

He opens the doors to Seraphina’s distressed face, and he looks away.  He wishes it wasn’t her.

 _You ever fucked a girl?_  Graves’ words echo in his head, making him feel hollow.

“Theseus, what is going on?”  She walks past him into the house, wasting no time on the front step, and he follows her into the living room.  “You haven’t answered my texts in two days, you missed work.  What happened?  What did you do after we talked?”

“I…” Theseus stares at the floor, voice tight.  “I visited him.”  This is why he didn’t want her to come.  This is why he didn’t answer her.  She’s going to know, and she can’t know.  No one can know, and he always knew he was going to tell her.

“What?  Visited who?”

“The… Percy.  The guy.  G-Graves.”

“ _What?_ Theseus, why?  Why would you do that?”

Theseus shakes his head, holding on as best he can, pressing his lips together tight.  His eyes sting and all he can do is try not to let the tears fall.

“What happened?”  She takes him in, face creased in confusion and disbelief, and her eyes fall on the scarf wrapped around his neck.  The scarf he hasn’t taken off in two days, refuses to let himself be seen without.  The weight of which makes him feel like he’s dying.  “Theseus.”  Her tone is careful.  Measured.  “Why are you wearing that scarf?”

He can’t look at her.

_You ever wonder what it felt like for her?_

“Are you okay?”

No.  No, he’s not, he doesn’t know if he ever will be but he should be, right?  He went and asked for it, he got what he wanted, and he saved Newt.  He should be, but he can’t stop himself from shaking, and he can’t stop the way he crumples onto the couch as though he can’t support his own weight.  He reaches a hand up to his neck, and tugs away the long strip of fabric.

“Oh my G -”

He knows what he looks like.  He tries not to see it, but he can’t look at anything else in the bathroom mirror.  Dark purple fading to yellow and green, a mottled pattern around his throat.

“What the fuck did he do?  What the fuck, I’m going to kill him, that _bastard_ I’ll kill him -”  She reaches towards him and he flinches automatically, leaning away.

“No, don’t - don’t touch me.  Please, don’t touch me.”

Seraphina’s eyes widen, and her hand drops to her side.

“It - it was my choice,” he says, soft.

“What?”

“My - my body for Newt’s.  We made a deal.”  The words are bitter in his mouth, but they’re true.

“Wha - _and you accepted it?”_

Theseus shakes his head, hopeless.  “It was my idea,” he whispers. _When did you first realize you wanted to be fucked?_

“Oh my god.  Theseus.”

“He’s never gonna hurt Newt now,” Theseus chokes through his tears.  “He won’t bother him, you should have seen what it was doing to him, Jesus.  He sent a m-message saying he was gonna take Newt from school, what else could I do?”

 _Call the police,_ Sera doesn’t say.   _Call me, call anyone.  Anything besides this._  She sits beside him on the couch, leaving distance between them, and bites her lip not to take his hand.

“I’m so sorry.”

Theseus shakes his head, adamant.  “I went there and asked for it.  All of it, f-for Newt.  He didn’t - it wasn’t -”  He doesn’t mention how he hasn’t been able to look at Newt for two days.  How the idea of talking to his own brother makes him feel sick.

“That doesn’t make it okay,” she says quietly.  She doesn’t know what to say to him, how to get him to understand without making him feel worse.  God, what had he been thinking?  “What kind of a choice is that to have to make?  He’s a monster, he did this.”

Theseus looks like he’s about to shake apart at the end of the couch, and Seraphina feels the frustration welling up inside her that there’s nothing more she can do than words.  How dare Graves hurt him like that?  How dare he think he could get away with it?

“It doesn’t matter.  Newt’s safe, he’s what’s important.”

“God, Theseus!” Seraphina exclaims.  “Did it ever occur to you that you might be important too?”

Theseus chokes back a sob, and all at once he’s in her arms.  She lays a hand on his shoulder, careful, and when he doesn’t flinch she rubs her thumb back and forth, slow.  His tears dampen her shirt, shoulders shaking as he falls apart against her.

She doesn’t know how long they sit like that, but it doesn’t really matter.  

When he’s calm - calmer - he sits up, trying to wipe the tear stains from his face with a sleeve until Sera leans over to the end table and hands him a tissue.

“He’s not gonna stop,” he whispers.  “He told me, he’s gonna go find other kids and he’s gonna do - that.  A-again.”

“We’re going to get the bastard, Theseus,” she says, low.

Theseus shakes his head.  “Nobody can know.  Newt, my mother, they - they can never know.  And I agreed.  We don’t have anything.”

“Theseus.”  She turns to face him, holding out her hands for him to take, and when he does she squeezes tight.  She wants him to know it’s not his fault, that no one could actually agree to something like that, but it’s obvious he doesn’t want to hear it.  She presses her lips together, glancing down before looking him in the eye.  “It doesn’t matter.  You’re seventeen.”

A pained expression crosses his face, and his gaze is distant.  “He said I was too old,” he mutters.

“No, Theseus.” Seraphina’s stomach churns at his words, but she continues.  “You’re too _young.”_

Theseus looks up at her, and for the first time there’s a glint of clarity in his eyes.  “You mean…”

“You’re underage.”  She pauses, not sure how to ask the next question.  “Do you have anything from that night?  Did you keep anything at all?”

Theseus thinks of the clothes shoved under his bed, the filthy, ruined clothes he hasn’t been able to bring himself to touch in order to destroy.  He hadn’t meant to keep them, they make him sick to think about, but he still has them.  

Slowly, he nods.

The set of Seraphina’s face is grimly triumphant, determination burning in her eyes at Theseus’ answer.  “He’s not going to get away with this, not with any of it.”

He wants to believe her.  He wants to believe this has some conclusion, some definitive marker of _over_ so that it can’t rear up again and consume him.  How long had it been since that day in the park - a week, two?  It feels like years.  He thinks of his life two weeks ago and he doesn’t recognize it.

He’d just wanted Graves to leave them alone.  That was all he ever wanted.

“I just want him to stop, Sera.  I just want him gone.”  That was what this was supposed to be - a way out.  But somehow, even though Graves hasn’t messaged Newt since that night, he’s more of a presence in Theseus’ mind than ever.  Theseus had won, but he still feels like he lost so much.

“I know.  And when we’re done he will be.  He won’t come near either of you, or anyone else, ever again.  We’re going to make him stop.”  Theseus meets her gaze for the first time and there’s steel in her voice, a fire burning in her eyes.

He looks to her for the strength that escapes him, and he tries to let himself believe her.

“How?”

“Together.  We’re in it together this time Theseus.  Will you help me get the bastard?”

Theseus takes in her determination, her surety, the firm grasp of her hands on his.  

He nods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's been with me along the way for this! I really hope you enjoyed this story, and it would mean a lot to know what you think. This story became my life for a little while, so I put a lot into it and I'm so glad to share it <333
> 
> Come find me at [ mercurial-tenacity.tumblr.com ](http://mercurial-tenacity.tumblr.com/) :D
> 
> (And if you're looking for something else to read, check out writingramblr's [What Kind of a Guy](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11294064/chapters/25267728)!)

**Author's Note:**

> Find me at [ mercurial-tenacity.tumblr.com ](http://mercurial-tenacity.tumblr.com/) :)


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